Use of intranasal esketamine in a girl with treatment-resistant depression and autism spectrum disorders: a case report.
Miriam Olivola, Vincenzo Arienti, Nicola Bassetti, Serena Civardi, Natascia Brondino
EXCLI journal 2022 DOI: 10.17179/excli2022-4694 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Case study Pilot study Case report Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 1 |
| Population | A girl with autism spectrum disorder and comorbid treatment-resistant depression |
| Intervention | Intranasal esketamine |
| Topics | Depression Esketamine Ketamine |
| Keywords | Autism spectrum disorders Treatment-resistant |
| Key findings | The report describes the first girl with autism spectrum disorder and comorbid treatment-resistant depression to be treated with intranasal esketamine. The authors note that autistic individuals are at greater risk for suicidal thoughts and behaviors and are more frequently treatment-resistant, and that a prior pilot study of intranasal ketamine showed no effect on social withdrawal in autistic people without depression. |
Abstract
Major depression is a common comorbidity in autism spectrum disorder (ASD), often difficult to identify and to treat. Autistic subjects are more at risk for suicidal thoughts and behaviors compared to typically developing peers. Unfortunately, ASD individuals are more frequently treatment-resistant and often show side-effects which reduce efficacy. Intranasal esketamine has been recently approved as an add-on medication for treatment-resistant depression (TRD), but it has never been used in ASD with comorbid major depression. Of note, a pilot study of intranasal ketamine has shown no effect on social withdrawal in ASD without depression. The present case report describes the first girl with ASD and comorbid TRD treated with intranasal esketamine.
Comparable studies
Other case reports and case series on esketamine for depression, most cited first.
Citations in the library
Cited by 3
- Effect of Ketamine Treatment on Social Withdrawal in Autism and Autism-Like Conditions. Clinical Neuropharmacology
- Can ketamine and other glutamate receptor modulators be considered entactogens? Psychiatry Research July 1, 2025
- Measuring suicidal behavior in the era of rapid-acting antidepressants: A systematic review of ketamine studies. Psychiatry Research June 1, 2025
Cites 4
- Efficacy and Safety of Intranasal Esketamine Adjunctive to Oral Antidepressant Therapy in Treatment-Resistant Depression JAMA Psychiatry December 27, 2017
- Efficacy and Safety of Intranasal Esketamine for the Rapid Reduction of Symptoms of Depression and Suicidality in Patients at Imminent Risk for Suicide: Results of a Double-Blind, Randomized, Placebo-Controlled Study American Journal of Psychiatry April 16, 2018
- Glutamatergic Neurotransmission: Pathway to Developing Novel Rapid-Acting Antidepressant Treatments The International Journal of Neuropsychopharmacology November 14, 2018
- Brief Report: Intranasal Ketamine in Adolescents and Young Adults with Autism Spectrum Disorder-Initial Results of a Randomized, Controlled, Crossover, Pilot Study. Journal of autism and developmental disorders April 2021