Journal of Child and Adolescent Psychopharmacology
February 1, 2023
Alice Lineham, V. Avila-Quintero, M. Bloch et al.
20 citations
Ketamine is an effective rapid-acting antidepressant, but its acute dissociative effects do not predict depression response in adolescents with treatment-resistant depression. In a secondary analysis of 16 adolescents from a crossover trial, no significant associations were found between dissociative symptoms—measured by the Clinician-Administered Dissociative States Scale—and depression improvement or response one day after ketamine infusion. When receiving the control drug midazolam, higher depersonalization symptoms were linked to less improvement. These findings contrast with some adult studies and may be limited by the small sample size, which reduces the ability to detect small or medium effects.
Journal of Child and Adolescent Psychopharmacology
January 3, 2024
Alice Lineham, Victor J. Avila‐quintero, Michael H. Bloch et al.
15 citations
Ketamine works as a rapid antidepressant for some but not all patients. In adolescents with treatment-resistant depression, those who had tried fewer antidepressant medications and augmentation treatments, had a shorter current depressive episode, and were currently taking a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (rather than a serotonin–norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor) were more likely to experience symptom improvement one and seven days after a single dose of ketamine. These findings are preliminary due to the small sample and multiple analyses, and more research is needed before using such predictors in clinical practice.
Journal of Child and Adolescent Psychopharmacology
October 1, 2021
David S. Mathai, Alexis G. McCathern, Andrew G. Guzick et al.
14 citations
Parents of adolescents show high acceptability toward using ketamine to treat suicidality, major depressive disorder, and bipolar disorder, despite the drug not being FDA-approved for psychiatric use in children. In a survey of 283 English-speaking parents, primary concerns included potential side effects and lack of FDA approval. Parents preferred short-term applications and less invasive routes of administration. A parent's own history of mental illness, familiarity with psychological treatments, and comfort using other mental health interventions for their children predicted greater acceptability. The findings indicate parental interest in ketamine as a treatment for pediatric mood disorders, pointing to future research and clinical directions.
Journal of Child and Adolescent Psychopharmacology
January 6, 2025
Isabella Sutherland, Ming-Fen Ho, Paul E Croarkin
10 citations
Interest in psychedelic therapies for adults is growing, with substances like MDMA for PTSD, psilocybin for treatment-resistant depression, and LSD for generalized anxiety disorder showing promise. However, research on these therapies in children and adolescents is limited, with no recent trials. Adolescents may still experiment with these substances recreationally or therapeutically as accessibility increases, raising significant concerns due to their vulnerability. The authors advocate for structured, safe, and well-controlled exploration of psychedelic therapies in adolescents.
Journal of Child and Adolescent Psychopharmacology
April 1, 2025
Hannah S Ishimuro, Paula K Yanes-Lukin, Pablo H Goldberg et al.
6 citations
In a small pilot trial, five adolescents with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) who had not responded to first-line treatments received a single intravenous infusion of ketamine. All participants experienced mild dissociative symptoms in the 40 minutes after the infusion, but there were no abnormal vital signs, deaths, or suicidal thoughts during the two-week follow-up. Obsessive-compulsive symptom severity decreased immediately after the infusion but was not sustained over the study period. The average score on the Children's Yale-Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale fell from 29 before treatment to 26.2 fourteen days later. The results suggest ketamine is well-tolerated in this population and warrants further testing of its efficacy.
Journal of Child and Adolescent Psychopharmacology
May 19, 2025
Adrian Cuellar, Michael E Henry, Joshua R Smith et al.
1 citation
Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) requires intravenous (IV) access, which can be difficult for pediatric patients and those with neurodevelopmental disorders. This case series of five patients aged 14–27 describes five strategies that helped them tolerate IV placement: oral anxiolytic premedication, planned physical restraint, intramuscular ketamine induction, inhalational sevoflurane anesthesia, and placement of an implanted venous access device. Using these individualized approaches, all patients were able to receive ECT. Consistent treatment protocols, multidisciplinary planning, and engagement of outpatient teams supported success. The findings show that adaptive strategies can improve access to ECT for special needs populations.