Ketamine for Treatment of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder: State of the Field.
Rachel Fremont, Oneysha Brown, Adriana Feder, James Murrough
Focus (American Psychiatric Publishing) July 2023 DOI: 10.1176/appi.focus.20230006 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Review Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Interventions | Ketamine midazolam |
| Topics | Esketamine Ketamine |
| Keywords | Posttraumatic stress disorder Trauma-and stressor-related disorders |
| Key findings | The authors report that a single IV ketamine dose can rapidly reduce PTSD symptoms, and that repeated IV ketamine significantly improved symptoms compared with midazolam in a predominantly civilian sample, while repeated IV ketamine did not significantly reduce symptoms in a veteran and military population. They argue further study is needed to identify which populations benefit most and whether combining psychotherapy with ketamine helps. |
Abstract
Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a chronic and debilitating condition. Although several psychotherapeutic and pharmacological treatments are recommended for PTSD, many individuals do not respond to treatment or respond only partially, highlighting a critical need for additional treatments. Ketamine has the potential to address this therapeutic need. This review discusses how ketamine emerged as a rapid-acting antidepressant and has become a potential treatment for PTSD. A single dose of intravenous (IV) ketamine has been shown to facilitate rapid reduction of PTSD symptoms. Repeated IV ketamine administration significantly improved PTSD symptoms, compared with midazolam, in a predominantly civilian sample of individuals with PTSD. However, in a veteran and military population, repeated IV ketamine did not significantly reduce PTSD symptoms. Further study of ketamine as a treatment for PTSD is necessary, including which populations benefit most from this therapy and the potential benefits of combining psychotherapy and ketamine.