Transcranial magnetic stimulation and ketamine: implications for combined treatment in depression
Weronika Dębowska, Magdalena Więdłocha, Marta Dębowska, Zuzanna Kownacka, Piotr Marcinowicz, Agata Szulc
Frontiers in Neuroscience October 26, 2023 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2023.1267647 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Review Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Interventions | Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) ketamine |
| Topics | Depression Esketamine Ketamine |
| Key findings | Argues that although transcranial magnetic stimulation and ketamine each effectively reduce depressive symptom severity in treatment-resistant depression, some patients still do not achieve the desired improvement, and that combining the two methods may yield stronger and longer-lasting results. The review aims to consolidate evidence on this combined treatment and elucidate its potential mechanisms to guide future protocol development. |
Abstract
Drug-resistant mental disorders, particularly treatment-resistant depression, pose a significant medical and social problem. To address this challenge, modern psychiatry is constantly exploring the use of novel treatment methods, including biological treatments, such as transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS), and novel rapid-acting antidepressants, such as ketamine. While both TMS and ketamine demonstrate high effectiveness in reducing the severity of depressive symptoms, some patients still do not achieve the desired improvement. Recent literature suggests that combining these two methods may yield even stronger and longer-lasting results. This review aims to consolidate knowledge in this area and elucidate the potential mechanisms of action underlying the increased efficacy of combined treatment, which would provide a foundation for the development and optimization of future treatment protocols.
Comparable studies
Other narrative reviews on ketamine for depression, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Synthesizing the Evidence for Ketamine and Esketamine in Treatment-Resistant Depression: An International Expert Opinion on the Available Evidence and Implementation Adults with treatment-resistant depression | 2021 | Review | |
| Ketamine: a paradigm shift for depression research and treatment | 2019 | Review | |
| Rapid‐acting antidepressant ketamine, its metabolites and other candidates: A historical overview and future perspective | 2019 | Review | |
| Ketamine: A tale of two enantiomers | 2020 | Review | |
| Molecular mechanisms underlying the antidepressant actions of arketamine: beyond the NMDA receptor | 2021 | Review |
Citations in the library
Cited by 8
- Early psilocybin intervention alleviates behavioral despair and cognitive impairment in stressed Wistar rats Progress in Neuro-Psychopharmacology and Biological Psychiatry 2025
- Psychedelics and mental health: reimagining care through science, insight, and compassion. Frontiers in Pharmacology September 3, 2025
- Combination of Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation and Ketamine in Treatment-Resistant Depression: A Systematic Review. Cureus July 1, 2024
- Ketamine infusion combined with accelerated sequential theta burst stimulation in multi-therapy-resistant bipolar depression: A case report. Asian Journal of Psychiatry June 1, 2026
- Role of Electroconvulsive Therapy, Ketamine Infusion, and Deep Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation in Treatment-Resistant Bipolar Depression: A Case Report. Medicina (Kaunas, Lithuania) June 3, 2024
and 3 more in the library
Cites 34
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- Antidepressant Efficacy of Ketamine in Treatment-Resistant Major Depression: A Two-Site Randomized Controlled Trial American Journal of Psychiatry August 28, 2013
- Mechanisms of Ketamine Action as an Antidepressant Molecular Psychiatry March 13, 2018
- Synthesizing the Evidence for Ketamine and Esketamine in Treatment-Resistant Depression: An International Expert Opinion on the Available Evidence and Implementation American Journal of Psychiatry March 17, 2021
- The effect of a single dose of intravenous ketamine on suicidal ideation: a systematic review and individual participant data meta-analysis American Journal of Psychiatry October 3, 2017
and 29 more in the library