Skip to content

Role of Electroconvulsive Therapy, Ketamine Infusion, and Deep Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation in Treatment-Resistant Bipolar Depression: A Case Report.

Keming Gao

Medicina (Kaunas, Lithuania) June 3, 2024 DOI: 10.3390/medicina60060936 (opens in new tab)

Study at a glance

AI-extracted from the abstract
Characteristics Case report Peer reviewed
Sample size 1
Population Patient with treatment-resistant bipolar depression
Interventions Electroconvulsive therapy Ketamine infusion Deep repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation
Dose 0.5-0.75 mg/kg for 40 min
Topics Depression Esketamine Ketamine
Keywords Electroconvulsive therapy Ketamine infusion Remission Response Treatment-resistant bipolar depression Neuromodulation therapy Alternative treatments Psychiatric interventions Mood disorders
Citations 1
Key findings A patient with treatment-resistant bipolar depression who failed ECT and ketamine infusion responded well to dTMS and maintained stability for over 2 years.

Abstract

Background and

Objectives: Options for treatment-resistant bipolar depression (TRBPD) are limited. Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) has shown efficacy in TRBPD. However, the cognitive deficits and memory concerns associated with ECT are problematic for a significant number of patients. It remains unclear what the next step is for patients with TRBPD who fail ECT.

Materials and Methods: In this case report, we present a patient with TRBPD who sequentially received 12 sessions of brief-pulse right unilateral ECT, 22 sessions of ketamine infusion at 0.5-0.75 mg/kg for 40 min, and 39 sessions of deep repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (dTMS).

Results: The patient had some benefit from ECT, but declined continuation of ECT due to memory concerns. The patient tolerated ketamine infusion well but had limited benefit. However, the patient responded well to acute treatment with dTMS and maintained relative stability for more than 2 years.

Conclusions: This case suggests that patients with TRBPD who fail ECT and/or ketamine infusion might benefit from dTMS.

Comparable studies

Other case reports and case series on ketamine for depression, most cited first.

Study Year Design Participants
Electroconvulsive Therapy, Ketamine, and Esketamine in a Patient with Major Depressive Disorder and Multiple Comorbidities: A Case Report over 10-year Treatment from Adolescence to Adulthood. A patient with treatment-resistant depression and comorbid generalized anxiety... 2025 Case report n = 1
A longitudinal case series of IM ketamine for patients with severe and enduring eating disorders and comorbid treatment‐resistant depression Patients with enduring eating disorders and treatment-resistant depression 2021 Case series n = 4
Effects of intranasal (S)-ketamine on Veterans with co-morbid treatment-resistant depression and PTSD: A retrospective case series Veterans with co-morbid depression and PTSD 2022 Retrospective case series n = 35
Case report: Intramuscular ketamine or intranasal esketamine as a treatment in four patients with major depressive disorder and comorbid anorexia nervosa Patients with anorexia nervosa and a comorbid depressive disorder treated at a private... 2023 Case report n = 4
Repeated oral esketamine in patients with treatment resistant depression and comorbid posttraumatic stress disorder Patients with treatment-resistant depression and comorbid PTSD 2023 Case series n = 5

Explore topics

By condition and practice