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Antianhedonic Effect of Repeated Ketamine Infusions in Patients With Treatment Resistant Depression

Alina Wilkowska, Mariusz S. Wiglusz, Maria Gałuszko‐węgielnik, A. Włodarczyk, Wiesław Jerzy Cubała

Frontiers in Psychiatry October 18, 2021 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2021.704330 (opens in new tab)

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Study at a glance

AI-extracted from the abstract
Characteristics Observational cohort Randomized Placebo-controlled Peer reviewed
Sample size 42
Population Patients with treatment resistant depression
Intervention Ketamine infusions
Duration Eight infusions, 1 week post treatment
Topics Depression Esketamine Ketamine
Citations 35
Key findings Ketamine infusions significantly reduced anhedonia in patients with treatment-resistant depression, but only among those not using benzodiazepines.

Abstract

Anhedonia constitutes one of the main symptoms of depressive episode. It correlates with suicidality and significantly effects the quality of patient's lives. Available treatments are not sufficient against this group of symptoms. Ketamine is a novel, rapid acting strategy for treatment resistant depression. Here we report the change in symptoms of anhedonia measured by Snaith-Hamilton Pleasure Scale as an effect of eight ketamine infusions as an add-on treatment in 42 patients with treatment resistant depression. We also determined the effect of this change on the severity of depressive symptoms measured by Inventory for Depression Symptomatology-Self Report 30-Item (IDS-SR 30). We have observed statistically significant decrease in the level of anhedonia during ketamine treatment. After adjusting for potential confounders we have found that significant reduction in Snaith-Hamilton Pleasure Scale (SHAPS) after each infusion and 1 week post treatment was observed only among patients who did not use benzodiazepines. The reduction in symptoms of anhedonia mediates the antidepressive effect of ketamine. The results need replication in a larger randomized placebo controlled trial.

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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