Indian Journal of Psychological Medicine
January 17, 2020
C S Gautam, Sonia S Mahajan, Jatin Sharma et al.
31 citations
Ketamine, originally approved as a general anesthetic, is being explored for repurposing to treat depressive disorders, suicidal ideation, substance-use disorders, anxiety disorders, chronic pain, refractory status epilepticus, and bronchial asthma exacerbations. The nasal spray of esketamine, a more potent form, has been approved by the USFDA for treatment-resistant depression alongside oral antidepressants. However, concerns about long-term safety persist due to its psychedelic effects and potential for abuse. This review discusses ketamine's repurposing for therapeutic use and the associated safety concerns.
Indian Journal of Psychological Medicine
July 1, 2014
S. Goyal, A. Ambekar, R. Ray
21 citations
Ketamine dependence can develop in anesthesiologists, who have easy access to the drug. A case from India describes an anesthesiologist who experienced dissociation, depersonalization, and psychotic effects from ketamine, along with significant tolerance and cyclical use of very high doses, but without prominent physical withdrawal symptoms. The case highlights concerns about substance misuse among medical professionals and raises issues for patient safety and management of affected health workers.
Indian Journal of Psychological Medicine
May 1, 2025
Nikapitiye Nandarathana, Jay Kumar Ranjan
17 citations
A meta-analysis of 21 randomized controlled trials involving 1,470 studies reviewed found that mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT) effectively reduces symptoms of both anxiety and depressive disorders. The overall standardized mean difference for anxiety was -0.4806 and for depression was -0.3817, indicating moderate effects. Comparisons between postintervention and follow-up showed small, nonsignificant effect sizes for depression (0.0130) and anxiety (0.0198), suggesting that symptom improvements were maintained over time. MBCT produces durable long-term treatment effects for both depressive and anxiety disorders.
Indian Journal of Psychological Medicine
April 29, 2025
Ekta Yadav, Bheemsain Tekkalaki, Kavita P Gadadavar et al.
2 citations
Ketamine infusion therapy, when used alongside other treatments, rapidly reduces depression symptoms in patients with major depressive disorder. In a retrospective chart review of 28 patients at a tertiary care hospital, scores on the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAMD) dropped significantly after an average of 4.6 infusions. More than half of patients (53.6%) showed a therapeutic response—a 50% or greater decrease in HAMD scores—and 39.3% achieved remission, defined as a HAMD score below 7. Suicidal ideation substantially decreased in 71.4% of patients. The findings indicate that ketamine infusion therapy is a safe and effective rapidly acting adjunct treatment for depression.
Indian Journal of Psychological Medicine
March 25, 2024
Saeid Komasi, Amin Nazari, Behrooz Faridmarandi et al.
2 citations
Personality traits, both adaptive and maladaptive, are linked to the emotional tone and content of dreams. In a study of 704 Iranian adults, two broad personality spectrums—adaptive and maladaptive—emerged from the data. Both spectrums related similarly to positive and negative dream emotions, but negative dream emotions were more strongly predicted by maladaptive traits (explaining 13% of the variance versus 7% for adaptive traits). Negative dream emotions were tied to low agreeableness and high negative affectivity, while positive dream emotions were tied to high agreeableness and low detachment. Dreamers reporting happy content had higher adaptive and lower maladaptive traits compared to those with distressing dreams.
Indian Journal of Psychological Medicine
January 22, 2026
Zaid Ahmad Wani, Rajnish Raj, Shabir Ahmad Dar et al.
In a retrospective study of 41 patients in India with major depressive disorder, bipolar depression, or suicidal ideation, oral ketamine therapy was associated with significant reductions in both depressive symptoms and suicidal thoughts. Depression severity, measured by the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale, decreased by an average of 8.19 points, and suicidal ideation, measured by the Modified Scale for Suicidal Ideation, decreased by an average of 4.95 points after three sessions. Common side effects included dizziness, nausea, and hypertension; diarrhea was least common. The findings suggest oral ketamine is an effective and well-tolerated rapid-acting option for reducing depressive symptoms and suicidality, suitable for outpatient use in the Indian context.
Indian Journal of Psychological Medicine
November 13, 2025
Malika M Sanspara, Drashti M Shah, Sandip H Shah et al.
A single intramuscular injection of ketamine (0.5 mg/kg) rapidly reduces suicidal ideation in adults, with a 78% decrease in MADRS-SI scores within two hours and 76% of patients reporting no suicidal ideation. Among 38 patients, 89% of those completing one-month follow-up maintained the reduction. Most patients required only one injection, though 36% needed multiple doses. Common side effects were dizziness and sedation, but no serious adverse events occurred. The study suggests IM ketamine is a safe and effective fast-acting option for suicidal ideation in settings where intravenous treatment is impractical.
Indian Journal of Psychological Medicine
July 2, 2025
Sonal Agarwal, Shahzadi Malhotra, Vibha Sharma et al.
Young adults diagnosed with dissociative disorder show poorer performance on tests of executive function, inhibitory control, and verbal memory compared to healthy controls, though some neuropsychological domains did not differ. The study compared 30 individuals with dissociative disorder and 30 healthy controls aged 18-30 in North India. Those with the disorder scored higher on the Dissociative Experiences Scale, indicating more dissociative experiences. Moderate associations were found between executive functioning, verbal memory, inhibitory control, and dissociative experiences. These findings highlight the link between neuropsychological factors and dissociative disorders in an Indian population, which may inform clinical assessments and interventions.
Indian Journal of Psychological Medicine
March 1, 2025
Noopur Anand Gawankar, Smita Pandey
A 31-year-old woman with panic disorder was treated over 16 sessions using an integrated protocol combining cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT). In the first phase, CBT components helped her challenge catastrophic misinterpretations of bodily sensations and underlying threat schemas. In the intermediate phase, MBCT fostered awareness of anxiety sensitivity, reduced immediate reactivity and catastrophizing, and aimed to prevent relapse by cultivating present-moment awareness and engagement. The report demonstrates the feasibility of this integrated approach tailored to the patient's personality and clinical profile.
Indian Journal of Psychological Medicine
July 1, 2009
Chaturaka Rodrigo, Senaka Rajapakse
Cannabis use has increased by 10% worldwide over the last decade, prompting a review of its possible link to schizophrenia spectrum disorders (SSD). The authors searched MEDLINE and other sources for English-language articles from 1999-2009. They discuss biochemical evidence on cannabinoids and the endocannabinoid system, and clinical studies on cannabis, psychosis proneness, and SSD. Three hypotheses are examined: that cannabis causes SSD, that schizophrenic patients are attracted to cannabis, and that cannabis and psychosis proneness have synergistic effects in a vulnerable minority. The evidence does not firmly support causation or self-medication; the most plausible explanation is a synergistic effect in some individuals.