Ketamine-induced affective switch in a patient with treatment-resistant depression
Girish H. Banwari, Prutha B Desai, P. Patidar
Indian Journal of Pharmacology July 1, 2015 DOI: 10.4103/0253-7613.161277 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Case study Case report Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 1 |
| Population | 52-year-old male with first-episode, continuous, nonpsychotic, treatment-resistant unipolar major depression of 10 years' duration |
| Intervention | Ketamine |
| Dose | subanesthetic dose |
| Topics | Depression Esketamine Ketamine |
| Key findings | The authors report that a 52-year-old man with 10-year treatment-resistant unipolar depression switched from depression to mania while being treated with intramuscular subanesthetic-dose ketamine. They suggest that polarity switch should be considered a potential side effect of ketamine used for treatment-resistant depression. |
Abstract
There is growing evidence to support the rapid, albeit short-lived antidepressant effect of subanesthetic dose of ketamine, a noncompetitive glutamate N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor antagonist in treatment-resistant unipolar and bipolar depression. Ketamine is known to cause transient mood elevation or euphoria, psychotomimetic effects, and dissociative symptoms, but its use in unipolar or bipolar depression has not been reported to induce an affective switch amounting to persistent or prolonged hypomania/mania or manic-like syndrome. We report the case of a 52-year-old male with first episode, continuous, nonpsychotic, treatment-resistant, unipolar major depression of 10 years duration, who manifested a switch from depression to mania while being treated with subanesthetic dose of ketamine, given intramuscularly. This case suggests that polarity switch should be considered as a potential side effect while using ketamine for treatment-resistant depression.
Comparable studies
Other case reports and case series on ketamine for depression, most cited first.
Citations in the library
Cited by 8
- Rapid‐acting antidepressant ketamine, its metabolites and other candidates: A historical overview and future perspective Psychiatry and Clinical Neurosciences June 19, 2019
- Real-world effectiveness of ketamine in treatment-resistant depression: A systematic review & meta-analysis. Journal of Psychiatric Research May 1, 2022
- An Update on the Efficacy of Single and Serial Intravenous Ketamine Infusions and Esketamine for Bipolar Depression: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis Brain Sciences December 22, 2023
- The possible place for psychedelics in pharmacotherapy of mental disorders. Pharmacological Reports December 1, 2023
- Ketamine-Induced Mania During Treatment for Complex Regional Pain Syndrome Pain Medicine March 10, 2017
and 3 more in the library