The International Journal of Neuropsychopharmacology
September 9, 2026
Y-H Chan, H-M Chang
Abstract Background Esketamine, the S-enantiomer of ketamine, is an NMDA receptor antagonist approved for treatment-resistant depression (TRD). Although regulated clinical trials suggest a low risk of misuse, concerns remain that esketamine exposure may facilitate transition to ketamine dependence, particularly in East Asia where illicit ketamine is widely available. Aims & Objectives To...
The International Journal of Neuropsychopharmacology
September 9, 2026
Sota Tomiyama, K Yonezawa, K Kusudo et al.
Abstract Background Cognitive dysfunction is associated with impaired psychosocial functioning in patients with major depressive disorder (MDD). Patients with treatment-resistant depression (TRD) exhibit more pronounced cognitive dysfunction than those with non-resistant MDD, underscoring the need for effective therapeutic strategies. Psilocybin has emerged as a promising treatment for...
The International Journal of Neuropsychopharmacology
September 9, 2026
Z Wang, W Chen, C Hu et al.
Abstract Background Within the rapidly expanding field of psychedelic research, psilocybin, along with its active metabolite psilocin, has emerged as a highly promising candidate in the search for innovative treatments for neuropsychiatric disorders. In this context, preclinical research using animal disease models has produced somewhat inconsistent results when employing standard tests to...
The International Journal of Neuropsychopharmacology
September 9, 2026
Lisa Harada, K Yonezawa, K Kusudo et al.
Abstract Background Despite sequential treatments with conventional antidepressants, many patients with depression experience insufficient clinical improvement, referred to as treatment-resistant depression (TRD). Psilocybin, a serotonergic psychedelic acting as a 5-HT2A receptor agonist, has attracted increasing attention as a novel treatment, with clinical trials demonstrating rapid and...
The International Journal of Neuropsychopharmacology
September 9, 2026
C Zarate
Abstract Background Ketamine produces rapid antidepressant and anti-anhedonic effects in treatment-resistant depression, but response is heterogeneous and mechanisms at the circuit level remain incompletely defined. Convergent imaging work implicates anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC), and reward-related networks as key loci for ketamine’s therapeutic and...
The International Journal of Neuropsychopharmacology
September 9, 2026
David Erritzøe
Abstract Background Recent clinical and neuroscientific work has revived interest in psychedelic-assisted therapies as promising treatments for a range of psychiatric conditions. Mechanistically, classical psychedelics and atypical agents such as ketamine appear to act as catalysts of neural and psychological flexibility, disrupting entrenched patterns of activity in “stuck” brain networks and...
The International Journal of Neuropsychopharmacology
September 9, 2026
J Vieira-Andrade, I Marques, M Brito
Abstract Background Serotonin 2A receptor (5-HT2AR) agonists play a crucial role in multiple cognitive processes, namely executive functions, learning and memory. Owing partly to this, psychedelics such as lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD), psilocybin, dimethyltryptamine (DMT), mescaline and ayahuasca might be valuable adjuvants in improving memory deficits and language impairment. Thanks to...
Harvard Review of Psychiatry
September 8, 2026
Warwick M. Green, Sanket B Raut, F. E. James et al.
There is a need for new effective treatment options for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), as many people with PTSD do not fully recover despite current treatments. 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA)-assisted psychotherapy (MDMA-AT) is emerging as a new treatment option. We assessed the current body of MDMA-AT evidence for effectiveness in treating PTSD, associated impairments, and...
Journal of Psychiatric Research
September 7, 2026
Objective: Treatment-resistant depression (TRD) is associated with severe functional impairment, poor quality of life, and increased suicide risk. This study evaluated the effectiveness of intranasal esketamine on depressive symptoms, hopelessness, suicidal ideation, and quality of life in patients with TRD, exploring whether outcomes differed according to concomitant antidepressant class (SSRI...
Research Square
September 7, 2026
Jennifer L Phillips, Ifeoluwa Olaoluwa, Areebah Ahmed et al.
preprint
Abstract Metabolic, inflammatory, and neurotrophic measures may provide complementary insight into biological heterogeneity underlying treatment-resistant depression and response to ketamine-based treatments. However, biomarker studies of ketamine treatment have focused on individual markers or biological domains, most commonly inflammatory or neurotrophic, while metabolic measures remain...