A case series of group-based ketamine-assisted psychotherapy for patients in residential treatment for eating disorders with comorbid depression and anxiety disorders.
Reid Robison, Adele Lafrance, Madeline Brendle, Michelle Smith, Claire Moore, Sachin Ahuja, Scott Richards, Nicole Hawkins, Erin Strahan
Journal of Eating Disorders May 6, 2022 DOI: 10.1186/s40337-022-00588-9 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Case series Case report Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 5 |
| Population | Patients in intensive residential eating disorder treatment with comorbid mood and anxiety disorders |
| Intervention | Group-based ketamine-assisted psychotherapy (G-KAP) |
| Duration | 4 weeks |
| Topics | Anxiety Depression Ketamine Esketamine Psychedelic-assisted therapy |
| Keywords | Case series Psychotherapy |
| Key findings | Four of five participants showed clinically significant improvement in depression, and two of five in anxiety, after four weekly group ketamine-assisted psychotherapy sessions. |
Abstract
Depression and anxiety outcome measures, safety/tolerability, patient satisfaction, and ease of implementation of group-based ketamine-assisted psychotherapy (G-KAP) delivered to patients in intensive residential eating disorder (ED) treatment were assessed. This study reports on five participants with a diagnosis of an ED and comorbid mood and anxiety disorders who received weekly intramuscular ketamine injections in a group setting over 4 weeks. Measures of anxiety (GAD-7) and depression (PHQ-9) were administered pre-dose, 4-h post-dose, and 24-h post dose. Four of the 5 participants experienced clinically significant improvements on the PHQ-9 score (i.e., change greater than 5) while 2 of the 5 participants experienced clinically significant improvements on the GAD-7 score (i.e., change greater than 4) from pre-dose to 24-h post-dose after the last ketamine session. Dosing sessions were well tolerated, and no serious adverse events were reported. Clinical observations and participant reports corroborated improvements in depression and anxiety symptoms, good tolerability of ketamine treatment, and practical implementation of the G-KAP protocol in a residential ED treatment center. This study suggests the potential utility of G-KAP as an adjunct to intensive, specialized ED treatment. Overall, this novel, cross-diagnostic intervention warrants future research to further explore its appropriateness in a treatment setting.
Comparable studies
Other case reports and case series on ketamine and psychedelic-assisted therapy, most cited first.
Citations in the library
Cited by 27
- Ketamine and psychotherapy for the treatment of psychiatric disorders: systematic review BJPsych Open May 1, 2023
- Psychedelics in the treatment of eating disorders: Rationale and potential mechanisms European Neuropsychopharmacology June 21, 2023
- Case report: Intramuscular ketamine or intranasal esketamine as a treatment in four patients with major depressive disorder and comorbid anorexia nervosa Frontiers in Psychiatry May 15, 2023
- Ketamine and Zinc: Treatment of Anorexia Nervosa Via Dual NMDA Receptor Modulation CNS Drugs January 22, 2023
- A Pilot Study Comparing a Community of Practice Program with and without Concurrent Ketamine-Assisted Therapy Journal of Psychoactive Drugs September 1, 2023
and 22 more in the library
Cites 15
- Mechanisms of Ketamine Action as an Antidepressant Molecular Psychiatry March 13, 2018
- A Consensus Statement on the Use of Ketamine in the Treatment of Mood Disorders JAMA Psychiatry March 1, 2017
- Single-dose infusion ketamine and non-ketamine N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor antagonists for unipolar and bipolar depression: a meta-analysis of efficacy, safety and time trajectories Psychological Medicine February 12, 2016
- Ketamine Assisted Psychotherapy (KAP): Patient Demographics, Clinical Data and Outcomes in Three Large Practices Administering Ketamine with Psychotherapy Journal of Psychoactive Drugs March 15, 2019
- Single Versus Repeated Sessions of Ketamine-Assisted Psychotherapy for People with Heroin Dependence Journal of Psychoactive Drugs March 1, 2007
and 10 more in the library