Effect of ketamine on task-based functional magnetic resonance imaging findings in major depressive disorder: A mini-review.
Farzaneh Ramezani, Peyman Mardani, Fatemeh Nemati, Giulia Cattarinussi, Fabio Sambataro, Giandomenico Schiena, Paolo Brambilla, Giuseppe Delvecchio
Journal of Affective Disorders February 1, 2025 DOI: 10.1016/j.jad.2024.10.118 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Systematic review Longitudinal Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Population | Individuals with major depressive disorder |
| Intervention | Ketamine |
| Topics | Depression Ketamine Esketamine |
| Keywords | Mood disorders Task-Based FMRI Ketamine therapy Depression treatment Neuroscience research Brain imaging studies Psychiatric medicine |
| Citations | 4 |
| Key findings | Ketamine affects brain activity in major depressive disorder, especially in the anterior cingulate cortex, dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, and amygdala, and these changes correlate with improvements in depressive symptoms. |
Abstract
Over the last two decades, ketamine has gained significant interest in psychiatry as a potential treatment for major depressive disorder (MDD), especially in individuals who are resistant to traditional therapies or are at a high risk of suicide. Task-based functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) studies can provide insight into how ketamine alters brain function and contributes to its antidepressant properties. This mini-review followed the MOOSE guidelines for systematic reviews of observational studies. We conducted a literature search in PubMed, Web of Science, and Scopus aiming at identifying fMRI studies investigating the effect of ketamine on brain function in MDD. Eight articles were included in the study. Results showed that ketamine affects brain activity in MDD, especially in the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, and amygdala. Interestingly, the majority of the reviewed studies showed a correlation between the changes in brain activity induced by ketamine and improvements in clinical depressive symptoms. These correlations involved the prefrontal cortex, ACC, and cortico-cerebellar circuits. Lack of longitudinal data on the lasting effects of ketamine on brain activity and the small number of studies. This review identifies key research areas that can enhance our understanding of ketamine's effects on the brain in MDD. It calls for studies on ketamine's mechanisms of action, long-term impact, dose-response optimization, and comparisons with other fast-acting antidepressants. Addressing these areas can optimize ketamine's therapeutic use and reveal new treatment targets.
Comparable studies
Other systematic reviews and meta-analyses on ketamine for depression, most cited first.