Journal of Affective Disorders
August 1, 2026
Ching-Hua Julie Lee, Yunzhe Qian, Weiqun Yu et al.
This study evaluated the long-term comparative effectiveness and safety of esketamine versus injectable ketamine and esketamine versus oral antidepressants for major depressive disorder (MDD). This emulated target trial utilized observational data from a cohort of U.S. adults with MDD between 2018 and 2024. Patients were categorized into those receiving esketamine, injectable R,S-ketamine, and...
J Affect Disord
May 14, 2026
Joshua Curtiss, Laya Dasari, Julianne Origlio et al.
Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) affects millions globally, with approximately 30% of patients experiencing treatment-resistant depression (TRD). While ketamine has emerged as a rapid-acting intervention, response rates remain variable, underscoring the need to refine precision medicine approaches for ketamine treatment. Network theories of mental health disorders have been promoted as framework...
The Journal of Clinical Psychiatry
November 14, 2022
Anna Feeney, Bettina B. Hoeppner, Marlene P. Freeman et al.
9 citations
Objective: Ketamine is a novel and rapidly acting treatment for major depressive disorder (MDD). Benzodiazepines are commonly coprescribed with antidepressants in MDD. This study sought to examine data from a randomized clinical trial that compared a single infusion of intravenous (IV) ketamine to midazolam placebo in treatment-resistant depression (DSM-IV-TR MDD) and to assess whether the use...
Journal of Clinical Psychopharmacology
April 25, 2020
Marlene P. Freeman, Rebecca S. Hock, George I. Papakostas et al.
45 citations
PURPOSE/BACKGROUND: Major depressive disorder (MDD) and obesity commonly co-occur. We sought to assess the impact of body mass index (BMI) on the acute antidepressant effects of ketamine in patients with treatment-resistant depression. METHODS/PROCEDURES: Post hoc analyses were conducted from a multisite, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial designed to assess the rapid-onset...
JAMA
May 24, 2019
Ole Köhler‐forsberg, Cristina Cusin, Andrew A. Nierenberg
18 citations
This Viewpoint discusses recent evidence documenting benefits of nonpharmacological and drug therapies for major depressive disorder including exercise, Mediterranean diet and structured dietary support, ketamine and esketamine, anti-inflammatory drugs, brexanolone, and psilocybin.
Journal of Affective Disorders
2019
Dawn F. Ionescu, Kate H Bentley, M. Eikermann et al.
179 citations
BACKGROUND Several studies indicate that ketamine has rapid antidepressant effects in patients with treatment-resistant depression (TRD). The extent to which repeated doses of ketamine (versus placebo) reduce depression in the short and long term among outpatients with TRD and chronic, current suicidal ideation remains unknown. METHODS Twenty-six medicated outpatients with severe major...
Depression and Anxiety
December 30, 2018
Naji C. Salloum, Maurizio Fava, Marlene P. Freeman et al.
49 citations
OBJECTIVE: To examine the effect of high baseline anxiety on response to ketamine versus midazolam (active placebo) in treatment-resistant depression (TRD). METHODS: In a multisite, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial, 99 subjects with TRD were randomized to one of five arms: a single dose of intravenous ketamine 0.1, 0.2, 0.5, 1.0 mg/kg, or midazolam 0.045 mg/kg. The primary outcome measure...
Molecular Psychiatry
October 3, 2018
Maurizio Fava, M. Freeman, M. Flynn et al.
438 citations
Numerous placebo-controlled studies have demonstrated the ability of ketamine, an NMDA receptor antagonist, to induce rapid (within hours), transient antidepressant effects when administered intravenously (IV) at subanesthetic doses (0.5 mg/kg over 40 min). However, the optimal antidepressant dose remains unknown. We aimed to compare to active placebo the rapid acting antidepressant properties...