Substantial clinical evidence has unravelled the superior antidepressant efficacy of ketamine: in comparison to traditional antidepressants targeting the monoamine systems, ketamine, as an N-methyl-d-aspartate receptor (NMDAR) antagonist, acts much faster and more potently. Surrounding the antidepressant mechanisms of ketamine, there is ample evidence supporting an NMDAR-antagonism-based...
Fibromyalgia (FM) subjects are treated with antidepressant agents; in most cases, these drugs lose efficacy or have adverse effects. Ketamine is an anesthetic drug used in FM in some studies. This article aims to systematically review the safety and efficacy of ketamine in fibromyalgia (FM) patients. We systematically searched articles on FM and ketamine published at Pubmed from 1966 to 2021....
The Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) program has shown promising results for people suffering from mental fatigue after an acquired brain injury. The aim was to evaluate the feasibility of a MBSR program performed as an online self-study course for this group of people. Sixty participants who had suffered an acquired brain injury with lasting mental fatigue were randomized to an online...
Psilocybin has reemerged as a promising treatment for difficult-to-treat depression (DTD). Although there is limited evidence regarding interactions between psilocybin and other psychotropic drugs, clinical trials require that patients discontinue their antidepressants before study entry to isolate the benefits of psilocybin and to minimize the risk of adverse events. We present the first case...
Participants who received ketamine at the NIMH were among the first to receive ketamine for depression in controlled clinical trials, providing a unique opportunity to assess long-term outcomes. This analysis evaluated the relationship between participating in a ketamine clinical trial and subsequent ketamine/esketamine use after leaving the research setting. Participants seen within the NIMH...
Ketamine, a dissociative anesthetic, is widely utilized in both human and veterinary anesthesia. Its (S)-enantiomer, esketamine, is similarly employed for anesthesia and analgesia. The anesthetic effects of both ketamine and esketamine arise from their antagonism of the N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor (NMDAR). In field of psychiatry, the rapid-acting antidepressant properties of ketamine for...
Psychedelic compounds have potentially rapid, long-lasting anxiolytic, antidepressive and anti-inflammatory effects. We investigated whether the psychedelic compound (R)-2,5-dimethoxy-4-iodoamphetamine [(R)-DOI], a selective 5-HT2A receptor partial agonist, decreases stress-related behavior in male mice exposed to repeated social aggression. Additionally, we explored the likelihood that these...
CureusJuly 1, 2024Cristian I Babos, Giovanni Zucchi, Augusto E Filimberti et al.1 citation
Introduction Our study aimed to compare meditation and compassion-based group therapy with the standard of care in patients with eating disorders, drug addiction, alcohol addiction, and depression, concerning acceptance, mindfulness awareness, self-compassion, and psychological distress. Methods A controlled designed study was performed, comparing meditation and compassion-focused group therapy...
The global demographic shift toward an older population is witnessing an increase in age-related psychological disorders and chronic illnesses, particularly among those residing in old age homes. Mind-body interventions (MBIs) have shown promise in enhancing mental and physical health without the adverse effects associated with pharmaceuticals. This quasi-experimental study involved 42 elderly...
The highly selective 5-HT1A serotonin receptor "biased" agonists NLX-101 and NLX-204 display, like ketamine, potent and efficacious rapid-acting antidepressant (RAAD) activity in the rat chronic mild stress (CMS) model with systemic (i.p.) administration. They rapidly (within 1 day) reverse anhedonia (i.e., CMS-induced sucrose consumption deficit), attenuate working memory deficit (novel object...