BJPsych Open
September 12, 2025
Karim S Ladha, Jiwon Lee, Gabriella Mattina et al.
Nitrous oxide may possess antidepressant effects; however, limited data exist on repeated administrations and active placebo-controlled studies in treatment-resistant depression (TRD). We aimed to test the feasibility of a randomised controlled trial examining a 4-week course of nitrous oxide or midazolam, an active placebo. In this randomised, active, placebo-controlled pilot trial, 40...
BJPsych Open
June 1, 2025
Ranjini Rao
Aims: 1. Examine efficacy and durability of antidepressant effects. 2. Identify specific symptoms of improvement. 3. Compare response rates and duration of antidepressant effects in failed to respond to previous treatments. Methods: Prospective review study of patients who received off-label rapid dissolve wafer for SL delivery in hospital setting 2–3 times a week for 4 weeks. The study...
BJPsych Open
June 1, 2025
Anna Borissova, Allan H. Young, Mitul A. Mehta et al.
Aims: Ketamine and behavioural activation (BA) reduce levels of anhedonia in major depressive disorder (MDD), though neither resolves anhedonia. Combining these treatments could yield additive or even multiplicative benefits. This poster summarises the development of a PhD fellowship proposal, discussing: (1) the initial patient and public involvement (PPI) interviews, exploring views on...
BJPsych Open
June 1, 2025
Minna Chang, Allan H. Young, Mario F Juruena
Aims: Ketamine is a novel and exciting putative antidepressant medication for patients with treatment-resistant depression. A complication commonly seen in frequent and heavy recreational use of ketamine is ulcerative cystitis, which presents with lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) and upper renal tract damage and can be seen in over 25% of regular users. Although ketamine-induced cystitis...
BJPsych Open
June 1, 2025
Emeka Onochie, Joseph Verghese
Aims: Background: Depersonalization-derealization disorder (DPDR), classified under ICD–11 code 6B66, involves persistent or recurrent experiences of depersonalization, derealization, or both. Depersonalization refers to a sense of detachment from one’s thoughts, emotions, or body, whereas derealization involves perceiving the external world as unreal or distorted. These symptoms cause...
BJPsych Open
June 1, 2025
Zelda Summers, Jennie Rankine, Stuart Fisher
Aims: For patients prescribed methadone wishing to access buprenorphine ORT, the current practice is to reduce the methadone dose to 30/40 ml and cessation of methadone for 48 hrs prior to the switch. This exposes these patients to risk of psychological, physical distress or relapse into non-prescribed opiate use. Using guidance published by the Canadian Journal of Addiction we adapted this to...
BJPsych Open
November 1, 2024
Mourad Wahba, Caroline Hayes, Maartje Kletter et al.
6 citations
Background Psilocybin is being investigated as a treatment for a myriad of disorders, including treatment-resistant depression. The main focus has been on positive effects, with little attention paid to negative outcomes, especially in clinical settings. Quantitative methodology limits further exploration of such events and can also miss improvements not captured on rating scales. Aims To...
BJPsych Open
September 1, 2024
Hannah Gofton, Henrietta Rodriguez, Trinity Sheridan-Guest et al.
3 citations
BACKGROUND: Suicide is one of the major causes of premature death in patients diagnosed with a schizophrenia-spectrum psychotic disorder. However, associations between psychotic-like experiences in youth and suicidality in later life remain under-researched. AIMS: We aimed to investigate any associations between early experiences of thought interference and auditory-verbal hallucinations (AVHs)...
BJPsych Open
June 1, 2024
Bikramaditya Jaiswal, Neha Singh, Benson Benjamin
AimsThe primary aim of this rapid review was to evaluate the evidence base for the efficacy of ketamine across all formulations and routes of administrations in the treatment of adult patients with treatment resistant depression (TRD).MethodsThis rapid review retrieved controlled trials on use of ketamine across all of its formulations, including all isomers and across all routes of...
BJPsych Open
May 10, 2024
Luke A. Jelen, Rupert McShane, Allan H. Young
7 citations
In this editorial, we emphasise the efficacy and challenges of using ketamine in treatment-resistant depression. We highlight the need for comprehensive evidence-based guidelines to manage the use of both licensed and off-licence ketamine formulations and discuss recent efforts by Beaglehole et al to develop ketamine guidelines in New Zealand. We finally advocate for national registries to...
BJPsych Open
October 13, 2023
Ben Beaglehole, Paul Glue, Mike Clarke et al.
9 citations
Background The evidence base for racemic ketamine treatment for treatment-resistant major depressive disorder (TRD) continues to expand, but there are major challenges translating this evidence base into routine clinical care. Aim To prepare guidelines for ketamine treatment of TRD that are suitable for routine use by publicly funded specialist mental health services. Method We consulted with...
BJPsych Open
July 1, 2023
Muhammad Ishrat Husain, Nicole Ledwos, Elise Fellows et al.
41 citations
Background Randomised controlled trials (RCTs) of psilocybin have reported large antidepressant effects in adults with major depressive disorder and treatment-resistant depression (TRD). Given psilocybin's psychedelic effects, all published studies have included psychological support. These effects depend on serotonin 2A (5-HT2A) receptor activation, which can be blocked by 5-HT2A receptor...
BJPsych Open
July 1, 2023
Allan H. Young, Wiesław Jerzy Cubała, René Ernst Nielsen et al.
2 citations
Aims For patients with depression, the likelihood of remission decreases with each subsequent treatment failure. Per European Medicines Agency guidance, treatment resistant depression (TRD) is defined as nonresponse to ≥2 consecutive treatments at adequate dosage and duration in the current depressive episode. In ESCAPE-TRD (NCT04338321), esketamine nasal spray (NS) increased the probability of...
BJPsych Open
July 1, 2023
Oluwatomiwa Ajayi, Arit Esangbedo, Abisola A. Lawal et al.
1 citation
Aims Moral Injury is a strong cognitive and emotional response occurring upon witnessing, participating in, or failing to prevent an act that goes against one's ethical code. This has been linked with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, Depression, Suicidality, and Anxiety, amongst others. Data on its association with Schizophrenia are however lacking. Trance and Possession Disorders defined by the...
BJPsych Open
June 7, 2023
Nicollette Thornton, Jason Kawalsky, Alyssa Milton et al.
11 citations
Background Public and patient expectations of treatment influence health behaviours and decision-making. Aims We aimed to understand how the media has portrayed the therapeutic use of ketamine in psychiatry. Method We systematically searched electronic databases for print and online news articles about ketamine for psychiatric disorders. The top ten UK, USA, Canadian and Australian newspapers...
BJPsych Open
March 9, 2023
Yonas Baheretibeb, Dawit Wondimagegn, Samuel Law
Background Religious and traditional healers remain the main providers of mental healthcare in much of Africa. Collaboration between biomedical and traditional treatment modalities is an underutilised approach, with potential to scale up mental healthcare. Aims To report the process and feasibility of establishing a collaboration between religious healers and psychiatrists in Addis Ababa,...
BJPsych Open
March 9, 2023
Dirk E. M. Geurts, Felix R. Compen, Marleen H.C.T. van Beek et al.
Background Meta-analyses show efficacy of mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT) in terms of relapse prevention and depressive symptom reduction in patients with major depressive disorder (MDD). However, most studies have been conducted in controlled research settings. Aims We aimed to investigate the effectiveness of MBCT in patients with MDD presenting in real-world clinical practice....
BJPsych Open
September 1, 2022
Tommaso Barba, Sarah Buehler, Hannes Kettner et al.
57 citations
Background Major depressive disorder is often associated with maladaptive coping strategies, including rumination and thought suppression. Aims To assess the comparative effect of the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor escitalopram, and the serotonergic psychedelic psilocybin (COMP360), on rumination and thought suppression in major depressive disorder. Method Based on data derived from a...
BJPsych Open
July 25, 2022
Deborah Wearne, Jeremiah Ayalde, Guy Curtis et al.
10 citations
Visual experiences such as hallucinations are commonly reported by people with psychosis, psychological trauma and dissociative states, although questions remain about their similarities and differences. For diagnostic and therapeutic purposes, clinical research must better delineate and compare the characteristics of these experiences in post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and in...
BJPsych Open
June 1, 2022
J. Raphael
Aims Since the 1950's, there has been increasing interest in the potential of the psychedelic experience to generate an enhanced state of emotional well-being in those suffering from a range of mental disorders. Following the so-called ‘War on Drugs’, much of this research was curtailed until a new surge of interest resulting in a ‘psychedelic renaissance’. This has come at a time where...
BJPsych Open
January 18, 2022
Zach Walsh, Özden Merve Mollaahmetoğlu, Joseph M. Rootman et al.
28 citations
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BJPsych Open
December 23, 2021
Zach Walsh, Özden Merve Mollaahmetoğlu, Joseph M. Rootman et al.
180 citations
Background In the past two decades, subanaesthetic doses of ketamine have been demonstrated to have rapid and sustained antidepressant effects, and accumulating research has demonstrated ketamine's therapeutic effects for a range of psychiatric conditions. Aims In light of these findings surrounding ketamine's psychotherapeutic potential, we systematically review the extant evidence on...
BJPsych Open
June 1, 2021
Amber Elyse Corrigan, Ella Burchill, Lucy Pelton et al.
1 citation
Aims Depression is the single largest contributor to global disability. However, effective treatments are currently lacking, resulting in a significant burden of treatment-resistant depression (TRD). Psilocybin, a serotonergic psychedelic, found as the active compound in 'magic mushrooms', has been proposed as a novel therapeutic avenue for TRD. We aimed to evaluate the future feasibility and...
BJPsych Open
June 1, 2021
Oli Purnell
AimsThis study examines what effect wilderness has on our conscious awareness, and by extension of that meta-cognition; our physical, mental and spiritual health. It reviews available scientific and artistic literature and integrates this with interviews in order to generate original grounded theory. It was found that intensity of wilderness experience varied proportionally with four mediators;...
BJPsych Open
2021
Karen Lascelles, Lisa Marzano, Fiona Brand et al.
20 citations
BackgroundKetamine has recently received considerable attention regarding its antidepressant and anti-suicidal effects. Trials have generally focused on short-term effects of single intravenous infusions. Research on patient experiences is lacking.AimsTo investigate the experiences over time of individuals receiving ketamine treatment in a routine clinic, including impacts on mood and...