Depression is a common and serious psychiatric disorder with significant impacts on individuals. Modified electroconvulsive therapy (MECT) is an established treatment for severe and treatment-resistant depression, but its cognitive side effects, particularly memory impairments, limit its use. Esketamine (ESK), an FDA-approved antidepressant, has shown neuroprotective effects. However, its role...
Abnormalities during rapid eye movement (REM) sleep contribute to the pathophysiology of major depressive disorder (MDD), but few studies have explored the relationship between REM sleep and treatment-resistant depression (TRD). In MDD, REM sleep abnormalities often manifest as alterations in total night REM Density (RD), RD in the first REM period (RD1), and REM Latency (RL). Among these, RD1...
Previous studies have shown patient preference can have large effects on treatment adherence and patient satisfaction. However, the direct effects of matching treatment with patient preference on efficacy and safety outcomes remain unclear. We aimed to evaluate the effects of patient preference and preference-matching on efficacy, adverse events, and adherence to electroconvulsive therapy (ECT)...
We aimed to review clinical research on the safety profiles of antidepressant drugs and associations with maternal depression and neonatal outcomes. We focused on neuroendocrine changes during pregnancy and their effects on antidepressant pharmacokinetics. Pregnancy-induced alterations in drug disposition and metabolism impacting mothers and their fetuses are discussed. We considered evidence...
The INTEGRATE study aimed to provide information on the use, effectiveness, and safety of esketamine nasal spray (ESK-NS) for the treatment of treatment-resistant depression (TRD) in real-world practice in Spain. This was an observational, cross-sectional, retrospective study conducted in adults aged 18-74 years who met the criteria for TRD. The weekly impact of ESK-NS on depressive symptoms...
Emerging viral pathogens, newly reported or rapidly evolving viruses, are a significant public health concern worldwide. Beyond their characteristic clinical presentations, emerging viruses, such as monkeypox virus (MPXV) and severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), have been increasingly implicated in the development of various neuropsychiatric complications including...
Treatment-resistant late-life depression (TRLLD) affects nearly half of older adults with major depression. This systematic review evaluates published evidence of effectiveness of both pharmacological and non-pharmacological treatments for TRLLD. A search of MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL, PsycINFO, the Cochrane Library, and online trial registries up to March 2024 was conducted to identify randomized...
There has been a recent resurgence in research on psychedelics as therapeutic agents for psychiatric conditions. This leading article outlines the studies to date of classic psychedelic treatments for treatment-resistant depression and major depression, including psilocybin, ayahuasca, dimethyltryptamine (DMT), and O-methyl-bufotenine (5-Me-O DMT). We discuss the potential of expanding...
Depression affects over 185 million people worldwide, with approximately one-third classified as treatment-resistant depression (TRD). Current treatments, such as oral antidepressants, often take around 3 weeks to become effective, with no immediate anti-suicidal benefits. The field urgently needs innovative therapies that provide rapid relief. Psychedelics like psilocybin and ayahuasca have...
We present divergent experiences of 2 patients who participated in a clinical trial of psilocybin-assisted cognitive behavioral therapy for major depressive disorder. Both patients participated in an open trial involving 2 drug administration sessions separated by one month (10 and 25 mg, respectively) along with 12 sessions of cognitive behavioral therapy. The first of the 2 patients had...