Accumulating evidence indicates the role of ketamine as a rapid-onset antidepressant, with a rising controversy regarding its cognitive and psychotic effects, especially with long-term use. However, no previous experimental study has directly compared short-term and long-term ketamine effects using a time schedule that simulates infusion protocols in major depressive disorder patients. This...
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) presents severe symptomology and often co-occurs with depression, warranting novel treatment approaches to address both conditions simultaneously. Ketamine has emerged as a rapid antidepressant and potential treatment for PTSD, with some real-world evidence for effectiveness regardless of comorbidities. The purpose of this secondary analysis was to explore...
Background: Depressive disorders are a major global health challenge, with many individuals unresponsive to existing treatments. Novel psychedelic therapies show promise but require further research. Objectives: This study aimed to evaluate the feasibility, safety and effectiveness of psilocybin with psychotherapeutic support for treatment-resistant depression (TRD), investigate predictors of...
Psychedelics have shown promising antidepressant effects in recent phase 2 randomized controlled trials, with phase 3 studies underway. While therapeutic outcomes are encouraging, the underlying mechanisms—from receptor-level pharmacology to subjective experience and context—remain only partially understood. We highlight clinical and mechanistic advances and outline priorities for future...
Although electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) is the standard treatment for Stage 2 or higher treatment-resistant depression, it has several drawbacks. Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) and intravenous racemic ketamine (IV ketamine) have emerged as potential alternatives, but their comparative effectiveness and safety remain unclear due to limited evidence. We systematically...
This study examined the efficacy of a Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Behavioral Group Program (MCBGP) designed to improve the mental health of patients with intractable diseases. Adults (n = 35) with such diseases participated in the study. They were categorized into a high- or low-depression group based on the Profile of Mood States (POMS) depression subscale score of 60 as the cutoff score....
Intranasal (IN) esketamine represents a novel add-on treatment for treatment-resistant depression (TRD) with reported favourable effects on insomnia. IN esketamine treatment might similarly reduce the incidence of insomnia as an adverse event (AE). The present meta-analysis therefore investigated whether IN esketamine relative to placebo is associated with a lower incidence of insomnia as an AE...
Complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS) is a chronic pain disorder that severely affects mobility and quality of life. This case report describes an 86-year-old man who has a long-standing history of CRPS-related back and leg pain. Traditional treatments, including opioids and duloxetine, did not improve his symptoms, and due to religious beliefs restricting specific interventions, standard...
Depression is a prevalent neuropsychiatric disorder characterized by persistent sadness, anhedonia, guilt, fatigue, and impaired concentration. Although pharmacotherapy and psychotherapy can be effective, their utility is limited by adverse effects and significant inter-individual variability. Non-pharmacological therapies from traditional medicine have emerged as promising adjuncts owing to...
(1) Background: Chronic pulmonary diseases (CPDs), such as COPD, asthma, and interstitial lung disease, are often accompanied by psychological distress and reduced quality of life. Mindfulness-Based Interventions (MBIs), including digital and virtual reality (VR) formats, have emerged as promising non-pharmacological approaches to improve symptom management and well-being. This systematic...