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Ketamine—New Possibilities in the Treatment of Depression: A Narrative Review

Mateusz Kowalczyk, Edward Kowalczyk, Paweł Kwiatkowski, Łukasz Łopusiewicz, Monika Sienkiewicz, Monika Talarowska

Life November 5, 2021 DOI: 10.3390/life11111186 (opens in new tab)

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Study at a glance

AI-extracted from the abstract
Characteristics Review Peer reviewed
Intervention s-ketamine
Topics Anxiety Ketamine Depression Esketamine
Keywords Depression economics Antidepressant Drug Population Pharmacology Environmental health
Citations 16
Key findings S-ketamine provides a quick antidepressant effect within 24 hours and may reduce suicidal thoughts, but further research on its side effects is needed.

Abstract

The SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus epidemic has led to an increase in the number of people with depression. Symptoms related to the mental sphere (mainly depression and anxiety) may be experienced by one third of the worldwide population. This entails the need for the effective and rapid treatment of depressive episodes. An effective drug seems to be s-ketamine, which was accepted in March 2019 by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the treatment of drug-resistant depression. This drug provides a quick antidepressant effect with maximum effectiveness achieved after 24 h. It also appears to reduce the occurrence of suicidal thoughts. However, research into undesirable effects, especially in groups of people susceptible to psychotic episodes or those who use alcohol or psychoactive substances, is necessary.

Comparable studies

Other narrative reviews on ketamine for anxiety, most cited first.

Study Year Design Participants
A Consensus Statement on the Use of Ketamine in the Treatment of Mood Disorders 2017 Review and consensus statement
KETAMINE'S MECHANISM OF ACTION: A PATH TO RAPID‐ACTING ANTIDEPRESSANTS 2016 Review
Eradicating Suicide at Its Roots: Preclinical Bases and Clinical Evidence of the Efficacy of Ketamine in the Treatment of Suicidal Behaviors 2018 Review
Predictors of Response to Ketamine in Treatment Resistant Major Depressive Disorder and Bipolar Disorder Patients with treatment-resistant depressive symptoms as part of major depressive... 2018 Narrative review
Ketamine as a Fast Acting Antidepressant: Current Knowledge and Open Questions 2013 Review

Citations in the library

Cited by 7

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Cites 15

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