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Magnesium level and impulsivity during ketamine administration for treatment-resistant mood disorders.

Jakub Słupski, Adam Włodarczyk, Natalia Górska, Joanna Szarmach, Anita Słupska, Karolina Pilecka, Aleksander Kwaśny, Żaneta Kowalska, Wiesław Jerzy Cubała

Magnesium Research DOI: 10.1684/mrh.2024.0534 (opens in new tab)

Study at a glance

AI-extracted from the abstract
Characteristics Observational study Peer reviewed
Sample size 49
Population Inpatients with treatment-resistant mood disorders
Intervention Ketamine intravenous infusions
Duration Four weeks (eight infusions over four weeks, with assessments before the first, third, fifth, and seventh infusions and one week after the last)
Topics Depression Ketamine Esketamine
Keywords Impulsivity Mood disorders Ketamine therapy Treatment-resistant depression trd Magnesium deficiency Psychiatric treatment
Key findings Magnesium concentration during ketamine treatment was not associated with changes in impulsivity as measured by the Barratt Impulsiveness Scale.

Abstract

Impulsive behaviours affect patients with major depressive disorder (MDD) and bipolar disorder (BP), increasing suicide risk and mood instability. Ketamine, an N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor (NMDAR) antagonist, has been reported to promote fast-acting antidepressive and antisuicidal effects. Magnesium administered contemporarily with low-dose NMDA antagonists has been shown to cause a reduction in anxiety-related and depressive-like behaviours. This observational study investigated the possible association between magnesium levels and impulsivity, measured using the Barratt Impulsiveness Scale (BIS-11), during ketamine treatment. Forty-nine inpatients with treatment-resistant mood disorders were involved in the study. The study therapeutic intervention was based on the administration of eight ketamine intravenous infusions over four weeks. The BIS-11 and magnesium levels were assessed for every subject before the first, third, fifth and seventh ketamine infusion and one week after the last infusion. The concentration of magnesium ions during the ketamine treatment was not associated with BIS-11 changes. The study does not provide evidence for a relationship between magnesium concentration and impulsivity, measured using the BIS-11, during ketamine treatment.

Comparable studies

Other observational and cohort studies on ketamine for depression, most cited first.

Study Year Design Participants
Concomitant BDNF and sleep slow wave changes indicate ketamine-induced plasticity in major depressive disorder Patients with treatment-resistant major depressive disorder 2012 Observational cohort n = 30
Altered peripheral immune profiles in treatment-resistant depression: response to ketamine and prediction of treatment outcome Healthy controls and actively depressed patients with treatment-resistant depression... 2017 Observational cohort n = 59
Clinical Predictors of Ketamine Response in Treatment-Resistant Major Depression Treatment-resistant inpatients with DSM-IV-TR-diagnosed major depressive disorder or... 2014 Post hoc analysis of pooled data from four studies n = 108
An investigation of amino-acid neurotransmitters as potential predictors of clinical improvement to ketamine in depression Drug-free patients with major depressive disorder 2011 Observational cohort n = 14
Efficacy of ketamine therapy in the treatment of depression Drug-free/naïve men with severe depression, no history of psychotic disorder, head... 2019 Observational cohort n = 25

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