Frontiers in Psychiatry
October 16, 2026
Gilberto Sousa Alves, Humberto M. M. Dos Santos, Samira D Damasceno et al.
Background Esketamine is a promising therapeutic option for treatment-resistant depression (TRD). Intravenous (IV) administration is the most extensively studied parenteral route. However, subcutaneous (SC) administration may offer simpler, more scalable delivery. Multicenter real-world evidence comparing IV and SC routes of administration remains limited. Objective To report clinical outcomes...
medRxiv
October 15, 2026
Chlöé Müh, Pauline Favre, Isabel Karen Lütkenherm et al.
preprint
Abstract Negative emotional bias, including reduced processing of positive information and negative interpretation of ambiguous stimuli, is a core feature of depression. Esketamine, an N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor antagonist with rapid antidepressant effects in treatment-resistant depression (TRD), reduces depressive symptoms, but its effects on distinct components of emotional...
Preprints.org
October 14, 2026
Domenico de Berardis, Tommaso Barlattani, Alessandro Carano et al.
preprint
Intranasal esketamine has been available for treatment-resistant depression (TRD) since 2019, but the trials that led to its approval answer only some of the questions prescribers face. About 97% of trial participants had failed only one or two antidepressant classes, and patients with bipolar disorder, psychosis, obsessive–compulsive disorder, four personality disorders, moderate-to-severe...
Brain Research Bulletin
October 6, 2026
Ziyi Hua, Yongqiang Shu, Li Li et al.
INTRODUCTION: This study investigated changes in multiband amplitude of low-frequency fluctuations in patients with major depressive disorder following a 2-week combination treatment regimen of esketamine and sertraline, and examined the associations between ALFF changes and clinical symptom improvement. METHODS: Forty patients with major depressive disorder (MDD) received esketamine (0.25...
Psychedelics
October 1, 2026
David S. Mathai, Brian Pilecki, Hadi Zaki et al.
In 2019, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved a patented formulation and delivery method of esketamine, the S-enantiomer of ketamine, for patients with treatment-resistant depression (TRD). While ketamine-based treatments share similarities with serotonin 2 A receptor-mediated “classic psychedelics” like psilocybin regarding subjective drug effects and stimulation of...
Journal of Affective Disorders
September 23, 2026
Erin Curran, Kristina T. Kumpf, Mina Ansari et al.
Ketamine/esketamine produce rapid antidepressant effects, with growing interest in how acute subjective experiences and the surrounding set and setting shape clinical outcomes. Little is known about how audiovisual adjustments during ketamine/esketamine treatment influence comfort, tolerability, or patient experience, despite their common use in clinical practice. Virtual reality (VR) is one...
Journal of Personalized Medicine
September 23, 2026
Aleksandra Metelska, Wojciech Ziemichód, Hanna Karakuła-juchnowicz
Objectives: A significant problem in the treatment of depressive disorders is the growing number of cases of so-called treatment-resistant depression (TRD). There is evidence of ketamine’s effectiveness in treating TRD, with response rates ranging from 40% to 90%. This review aimed to map available studies on peripheral biomarkers of response to ketamine and esketamine in the treatment of...
Journal of Huntington's Disease
September 17, 2026
Carsten Saft, Julia Jessen, David Kiefner et al.
Depression and suicidal ideation are common in Huntington's disease (HD). We report a 60-year-old male with HD who suffered from treatment-resistant depression with intermittent suicidal thoughts for 20 years, irritability and apathy. Despite multiple trials of antidepressants, no sustained improvement was achieved. Under nasal esketamine treatment his mood improved dramatically after three...
Psychiatry Research
September 14, 2026
Kelei Xiao, Yealin Woo, Christine E. Dri et al.
Cognitive impairment is a core feature of major depressive disorder (MDD) and bipolar disorder (BD). Most conventional antidepressants do not have direct and clinically relevant procognitive effects. Ketamine and esketamine are effective in treating treatment-resistant depression (TRD). Herein, this systematic review aims to evaluate the effects of both pharmacotherapeutics on cognitive...
International Journal of Innovative Technologies in Social Science
September 11, 2026
Marta Borkowska, Małgorzata Witaszczyk, Alicja Sołtan et al.
Background: Ketamine and esketamine have been studied as rapid-acting interventions in adults with depressive disorders and suicidal ideation, but findings vary across populations, settings, comparators, routes, and outcome measures. Aim: To examine their effects on suicidal ideation within the first 24 hours and to identify factors contributing to variability across studies. Methods: This...