Journal of Affective Disorders - The Consciousness Library

Ketamine ameliorates postpartum depression-like behaviors in rats exposed to sevoflurane during pregnancy through the AMPK/SIRT1/NLRP3 pathway.

Journal of Affective Disorders February 14, 2026 H. Xue, Xu Yang, Shihui Kuai et al.

General anesthetics can exert significant adverse effects on the central nervous system. This study aimed to investigate whether repeated exposure to sevoflurane induces depression-like behaviors in postpartum rats. Pregnant rats were exposed to 3% sevoflurane for 2 h on gestational days 13-15. Emotional behaviors were assessed on postpartum days 1, 7, 14, and 21. Hippocampal protein levels...

DOI: 10.1016/j.jad.2026.121439

Examining the effects of psilocybin-assisted psychotherapy on anhedonia in treatment-resistant depression

Journal of Affective Disorders February 12, 2026 Erica Kaczmarek, Nelson Rodriguez, Noah Chisamore et al.

Anhedonia, a core symptom of depression, is often resistant to conventional treatments and significantly impacts quality of life. This secondary analysis aimed to evaluate the effects of psilocybin-assisted psychotherapy (PAP) on anhedonia severity in individuals with treatment-resistant depression (TRD). Participants (n = 30) with TRD and a primary diagnosis of Major Depressive Disorder or...

DOI: 10.1016/j.jad.2026.121385 Psilocybin Major depressive disorder Anhedonia Depression economics +9

Age-related moderation of adjunctive psychotherapy and early life stress effects on depression symptom reductions following ketamine treatment: Initial insights from a large, naturalistic sample.

Journal of Affective Disorders February 4, 2026 Raquel Kosted, Alli Waddell, Ken Adolph et al.

Ketamine is known to be a rapid-acting antidepressant, but there is limited evidence regarding which types of patients are best-suited to this treatment and whether adjunctive psychotherapy improves outcomes. In a sample of 224 patients who received five ketamine infusions at a private clinic, this study uses Bayesian mixed modeling to examine the effects of early life stress (measured with the...

DOI: 10.1016/j.jad.2026.121350 Full text Depression Major depressive disorder Adverse childhood experiences Early life stress +1

Experiences of Australian clinicians, researchers, and patients with MDMA-assisted psychotherapy for post-traumatic stress disorder: A framework-guided qualitative analysis.

Journal of Affective Disorders February 2, 2026 Alene Sze Jing Yong, Aimee Freeburn, Suzie Bratuskins et al.

Australia recently became the first country to reschedule methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) to permit authorized prescribing for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) outside of clinical trials. This study explored the direct experience of Australian clinicians, researchers, and patients regarding the use of MDMA-assisted psychotherapy (MDMA-AP) for PTSD to inform guideline development....

DOI: 10.1016/j.jad.2026.121276 Full text

Contemplating versus having used psychedelics in bipolar disorder - What makes the difference?

Journal of Affective Disorders February 1, 2026 Lauren N Vale, Maya Ibrahim, Leonardo Fávaro-pereira et al. 1 citation

In recent years psychedelics have gained popularity and potential promise in the field of mental health, but for patients diagnosed with bipolar disorder (BD), fears of emerging manic or psychotic symptoms have caused investigators to exclude them from psychedelic research. In this observational study, we explore the motivations, expectations, and personality characteristics of individuals with...

DOI: 10.1016/j.jad.2025.120437 Full text Attitudes towards psychedelics Bipolar disorder Mental health treatment Mood disorders +1

Efficacy of online conscious connected breathwork in reducing symptoms of anxiety: A randomized waitlist control trial.

Journal of Affective Disorders February 1, 2026 Richard Lawrence Blake

Amidst the growing prevalence of anxiety disorders and the limitations of existing treatments, there is a need to expand treatment options beyond conventional therapy and medication. The popularity of breathwork has grown enormously, but it is still in the process of creating a robust body of evidence to validate its utility. This research employs a true-experimental design to compare pretest...

DOI: 10.1016/j.jad.2025.120565 Full text Anxiety Conscious connected breathwork Mind–body therapy Non-pharmacological treatment +2

Effects of glutamatergic modulators on striatal activation, functional connectivity and reward in persons with major depressive disorder and healthy controls: A systematic review of fMRI studies.

Journal of Affective Disorders February 1, 2026 Kayla M Teopiz, Sabrina Wong, Gia Han Le et al.

Convergent evidence suggests that disrupted reward processing may be associated with observed alterations in frontostriatal activity in persons with major depressive disorder (MDD). Replicated evidence suggests that glutamatergic modulators may benefit persons experiencing disrupted reward function compared to healthy controls (HC). Herein, we systematically reviewed functional magnetic...

DOI: 10.1016/j.jad.2025.120476 Full text Depression Major depressive disorder Anhedonia Neuroimaging +2

Multimodal rapid anti-depression: Esketamine combined with dexmedetomidine patient-controlled sleep for treatment-resistant depression - A retrospective study.

Journal of Affective Disorders January 30, 2026 Yao-Zu Li, Cai-Qun Zhao, Mu-Yan Zuo et al.

To evaluate the efficacy and safety of a multimodal rapid anti-depression therapy that combines esketamine treatment with dexmedetomidine patient-controlled sleep (PCSL) in patients with treatment-resistant depression (TRD). We retrospectively included 233 patients with TRD who received the multimodal treatment. Baseline clinical characteristics were collected. Follow-up assessments were...

DOI: 10.1016/j.jad.2026.121311 Full text Esketamine Treatment-resistant depression Dexmedetomidine Multimodal rapid anti-depression +1

Systematic review and meta-analysis of intranasal esketamine for treatment-resistant depression: Evidence from real-world studies.

Journal of Affective Disorders January 28, 2026 Clara De Oliveira Lapa, Thiago Viola, Rodrigo Delfino et al. 3 citations

Intranasal esketamine has demonstrated efficacy and safety for treatment-resistant depression in randomized controlled trials, however the generalizability of these findings to clinical practice remains unclear. This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to synthesize real-world evidence of intranasal esketamine in patients with treatment-resistant depression. A systematic search was...

DOI: 10.1016/j.jad.2026.121257 Full text Esketamine Treatment-resistant depression Intranasal Meta-analysis +2

Symptom trajectories and clinical outcomes of intravenous ketamine in treatment-resistant depression: A real-world study using group-based trajectory modeling.

Journal of Affective Disorders January 23, 2026 Reinhard Janssen-Aguilar, Jithin Joseph, Huda Al-Shamali et al.

Intravenous (IV) ketamine is an emerging intervention for treatment-resistant depression (TRD), yet the temporal dynamics of response and the optimal number of infusions remain unclear, particularly in real-world clinical populations with psychiatric comorbidities. We conducted a retrospective chart review of 209 adults with TRD treated with IV ketamine at an interventional psychiatry program....

DOI: 10.1016/j.jad.2026.121230 Full text Anxiety Treatment-resistant depression Iv ketamine Real-world evidence +1

Real-world comparison of intranasal racemic ketamine and esketamine in treatment-resistant depression: A retrospective observational study.

Journal of Affective Disorders January 21, 2026 Jan Sarlon, Deanne Thomi, Annette B Brühl et al. 1 citation

Treatment-resistant depression (TRD) imposes major individual and societal burden, with few therapeutic options. Intranasal esketamine is approved but limited by cost and accessibility, prompting interest in alternatives. To assess non-inferiority of racemic ketamine versus esketamine in a real-world setting. We performed a single-centre, retrospective observational study emulating a randomized...

DOI: 10.1016/j.jad.2026.121208 Full text Esketamine Mdd Treatment-resistant depression Intranasal racemic ketamine +1

Insights into psilocybin use among people with bipolar disorder: A thematic analysis of Reddit posts

Journal of Affective Disorders January 20, 2026 Laura Mills, Susan L. Rossell, Sean Carruthers

Psilocybin has been reported to decrease depression symptoms among individuals with bipolar disorder (BD), but has also been associated with reports of mania, psychosis and increased depression. With increasing recreational use of psilocybin, and the potential for psilocybin to be used as a treatment for depression, a better understanding of the risks and benefits of this psychedelic among...

DOI: 10.1016/j.jad.2026.121220 Psilocybin Thematic analysis Mania Psychosis +10

Insights from the psychedelic experience integration session: Verbatims differentiate 3-month abstinence in alcohol use disorder with depressive symptoms

Journal of Affective Disorders January 19, 2026 Maria Garcia Garcia, Dahbia Belahda, Carine Graux et al.

Responders were distinguished by narratives of inner dialogue and adaptive coping, while non-responders emphasized sensory and affective descriptions and suppressive coping. Inner dialogue may constitute a distinct therapeutic mechanism, highlighting the importance of preparation and integration in psilocybin-assisted psychotherapy.

DOI: 10.1016/j.jad.2026.121215 Alcohol use disorder Major depressive disorder Abstinence Depressive symptoms +4

Breaking the chains of depression: A systematic review and meta-analysis of psilocybin therapy

Journal of Affective Disorders December 17, 2025 Faheem Ahmed Khan, Nuruliarizki Shinta Pandupuspitasari, Tewin Tencomnao et al. 2 citations

Psilocybin, a naturally occurring hallucinogenic substance present in certain mushrooms, has drawn growing attention as a therapeutic breakthrough for several mental and psychiatric conditions. Psilocybin originated in spiritual and cultural traditions and has become the focus of extensive scientific research. This meta-analysis and systematic review aggregate results from the literature to...

DOI: 10.1016/j.jad.2025.120882 Psilocybin Major depressive disorder Hallucinogen Cognition +7

The role of frontal EEG in predicting clinical response of major depressive disorder to intranasal ketamine and esketamine.

Journal of Affective Disorders November 22, 2025 Carlos Trenado, Erich Seifritz, Sebastian Olbrich et al. 4 citations

Ketamine and its enantiomer esketamine are NMDA receptor antagonists that have shown consistent antidepressant effects in major depression disorder (MDD). These effects suggest an active role of glutamate in the pathophysiology of depression. It has been hypothesized that acute increase of glutamate neurotransmission in the prefrontal cortex following treatment with (es)ketamine leads to...

DOI: 10.1016/j.jad.2025.120751 Full text Esketamine EEG Biomarker Entropy Functional connectivity +2

Mystical experiences during magnesium-Ibogaine are associated with improvements in PTSD symptoms in veterans.

Journal of Affective Disorders November 18, 2025 Randi Brown, Jennifer I. Lissemore, Kenneth Shinozuka et al. 1 citation

Ibogaine is an atypical psychedelic that evokes unique subjective effects, including mystical experiences. Mystical experiences have shown a mediating effect on clinical improvements following treatment with several psychedelic substances; however, the relationship between mystical experiences and clinical outcomes following ibogaine remains unclear. We examined the association between mystical...

DOI: 10.1016/j.jad.2025.120722 Full text PTSD Ibogaine-magnesium Mistic Peak alpha frequency +3

Psilocybin use in bipolar disorder: A comprehensive review

Journal of Affective Disorders October 31, 2025 André Do, Laurence Cloutier, Lydia Hébert‐tremblay et al. 1 citation

Despite its promising potential, the efficacy and safety of psilocybin in the treatment of BD depression remain unclear, and future research is essential to clarify its therapeutic value in BD.

DOI: 10.1016/j.jad.2025.120485 Psilocybin Depression economics Hallucinogen Bipolar disorder +4

Economic evaluation of subcutaneous ketamine injections for treatment resistant depression: A randomised, double-blind, active-controlled trial - The KADS study.

Journal of Affective Disorders October 15, 2025 Mary Lou Chatterton, Johana Kevin Perez, Thao Thai et al. 2 citations

Ketamine is effective for treatment resistant depression (TRD); but cost-effectiveness evidence remains limited. To evaluate the cost-effectiveness of subcutaneous ketamine for TRD from health sector and societal perspectives. A cost-utility analysis alongside the KADS randomised controlled trial (RCT) involved 174 participants receiving ketamine or midazolam (active control) twice weekly for 4...

DOI: 10.1016/j.jad.2025.119502 Full text Treatment-resistant depression Major depressive disorder Clinical trials Clinical drug studies +5

The effect of mindfulness-based cognitive therapy on suicidal thoughts and interleukin-6 levels in depressed adolescents.

Journal of Affective Disorders October 1, 2025 Shuang Zhu, Peng Wang, Qingxia Liu et al. 8 citations

Suicide is the leading cause of death among adolescents worldwide and has serious implications for socio-economic development. Some studies have found that suicide attempts and suicidal thoughts are more likely to occur in adolescents with depression. In depressed adolescents, cognitive function is often significantly impaired. The cognitive function of depressed adolescents is mainly...

DOI: 10.1016/j.jad.2025.119466 Full text Depression Mbct Tau Youth +4

Subanesthetic ketamine alters EEG signal complexity: Implications for treatment stratification in depression.

Journal of Affective Disorders October 1, 2025 Weng-Lam Chan, Sebastian Olbrich, Xinwen Jiang et al. 3 citations

Major depressive disorder, particularly its treatment-resistant form (TRD), poses significant treatment challenges. Ketamine, an N-methyl-d-aspartate receptor antagonist, has shown promise in rapidly alleviating depressive symptoms by influencing neuroplasticity and glutamatergic modulation, which are thought to influence brain activity complexity. In this placebo-controlled study, we examined...

DOI: 10.1016/j.jad.2025.119477 Full text Mdd Lempel-ziv complexity Treatment response Depression treatment +4

Efficacy and safety of ketamine maintenance therapy in treatment-resistant depression: A systematic review of treatment protocols and clinical outcomes.

Journal of Affective Disorders October 1, 2025 A. M. Al-Garni, Gustavo Vazquez, Tariq Alotibi et al.

INTRODUCTION Treatment-resistant depression (TRD) represents a significant therapeutic challenge, as conventional treatments demonstrate limited efficacy. Although ketamine's acute antidepressant effects are well-documented, the role of maintenance therapy remains understudied. We conducted a systematic review to assess the efficacy, safety, and optimal implementation strategies of ketamine...

DOI: 10.1016/j.jad.2025.120475

The effects of mindfulness and cognitive strategy interventions on core symptoms in children with ADHD: A randomized controlled trial.

Journal of Affective Disorders October 1, 2025 Xueke Wang, Li Chen, Tingyong Feng

Psychological interventions based on mindfulness and cognition have shown promise for treating ADHD, yet their application in children remains understudied. This study aimed to investigate the effectiveness and sustainability of mindfulness and cognitive strategy interventions in reducing core symptoms of ADHD in children. A randomized controlled trial (RCT) was conducted involving 70 children...

DOI: 10.1016/j.jad.2025.120513

Temporal dynamics in neuroimaging as correlates of therapeutic response to psilocybin in major depressive disorder: A systematic review and critical appraisal

Journal of Affective Disorders September 16, 2025 Sami George Sabbah, Sophie Li, Sabrina Wong et al. 2 citations

Although these findings suggest psilocybin is associated with dynamic and temporally distinct neuroplastic changes linked to clinical improvement, several limitations must be acknowledged. Many studies reused overlapping datasets with high exploratory flexibility and risk of bias. The generalizability of results is therefore constrained. Future research should emphasize independent datasets,...

DOI: 10.1016/j.jad.2025.120335

Utilizing depression symptom-based phenotypes to explore ketamine treatment response in major depression: The Bio-K multicenter trial.

Journal of Affective Disorders September 15, 2025 Brandan K Penaluna, Jennifer L. Vande Voort, William V Bobo et al. 4 citations

Previous work has identified four correlated factors (depression phenotypes) using the Montgomery-Åsberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS)- Sadness, Negative Thoughts, detachment/Interest and Activity (IA), and Neurovegetative. We explored treatment responses to ketamine based on these 4 phenotypes in treatment resistant depression (TRD). This is a secondary analysis of data from an open-label...

DOI: 10.1016/j.jad.2025.119414 Full text Phenotypes Treatment-resistant depression trd Refractory depression Ketamine infusion +3

Mentalization and Emotional-Cognitive Rigidity as predictors of esketamine's effects on Treatment-Resistant Depression: Findings from a prospective observational study.

Journal of Affective Disorders September 1, 2025 Miriam Olivola, Filippo Mazzoni, Barbara Tarantino et al. 8 citations

INTRODUCTION Treatment-Resistant Depression (TRD) remains a major challenge in the management of Major Depressive Disorder (MDD). Esketamine, the S-enantiomer of ketamine and a glutamatergic modulator, has been approved by the FDA and EMA for TRD in 2019. Beyond its rapid antidepressant effects, esketamine may enhance neuroplasticity, facilitating the reconnection with emotional and cognitive...

DOI: 10.1016/j.jad.2025.120231 Full text

Papers