Utilization of Ketamine for Major Depression
Ryan Dao, Amit Aggarwal
Journal of Exploratory Research in Pharmacology August 28, 2023 DOI: 10.14218/jerp.2023.00027 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Review Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Intervention | Ketamine |
| Dose | subanesthetic doses |
| Topics | Depression Esketamine Ketamine |
| Citations | 2 |
| Key findings | The authors report that subanesthetic-dose ketamine produces rapid and lasting antidepressant effects in MDD, while cautioning that its psychotomimetic side effects, including dissociation, hallucinations, and depersonalization, need further review. They argue that ketamine and its synergistic combinations with other modalities may give physicians newer treatment options with better short-term and long-term outcomes. |
Abstract
Major depressive disorder (MDD) continues to be a prevalent disease worldwide. While selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors and other medications continue to be prescribed, further research has been conducted toward other treatment modalities. Within the past decade, ketamine, an N-methyl-d-aspartate receptor antagonist, has been extensively studied as a new treatment for MDD. Recent studies show that ketamine at subanesthetic doses provides antidepressant effects. An extensive overview of the latest statistics of MDD and treatment plans are emphasized, with a review of current medications and their subsequent side effects. However, an important factor to consider with ketamine is dissociation, and given ketamine’s psychotomimetic side effects, it must be reviewed further. Despite such side effects of hallucinations and depersonalization, studies have shown administration achieves rapid and lasting antidepressant effects. the synergistic effects of ketamine are also analyzed with recent studies to summarize the effects of different treatment modalities. A summary of the latest research studies of ketamine as a possible treatment for MDD is provided. By focusing on the evolution of ketamine as a treatment for MDD, physicians can now utilize newer techniques for depression, with better short-term and long-term outcomes for the patients.
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 2
- The Effects of Psychotherapy on Single and Repeated Ketamine Infusion(s) Therapy for Treatment-Resistant Depression: The Convergence of Molecular and Psychological Treatment. International Journal of Molecular Sciences July 11, 2025
- Ketamine-assisted group psychotherapy integrating cognitive processing therapy to address identity-based trauma: a pilot study Frontiers in Psychiatry January 22, 2026
Cites 19
- Mechanisms of Ketamine Action as an Antidepressant Molecular Psychiatry March 13, 2018
- Efficacy of Esketamine Nasal Spray Plus Oral Antidepressant Treatment for Relapse Prevention in Patients With Treatment-Resistant Depression JAMA Psychiatry June 5, 2019
- Efficacy and Safety of Intranasal Esketamine Adjunctive to Oral Antidepressant Therapy in Treatment-Resistant Depression JAMA Psychiatry December 27, 2017
- R-ketamine: a rapid-onset and sustained antidepressant without psychotomimetic side effects Translational Psychiatry September 1, 2015
- Rapid Resolution of Suicidal Ideation After a Single Infusion of anN-Methyl-D-Aspartate Antagonist in Patients With Treatment-Resistant Major Depressive Disorder The Journal of Clinical Psychiatry July 13, 2010
and 14 more in the library