Ketamine and its enantiomer esketamine are NMDA receptor antagonists that have shown consistent antidepressant effects in major depression disorder (MDD). These effects suggest an active role of glutamate in the pathophysiology of depression. It has been hypothesized that acute increase of glutamate neurotransmission in the prefrontal cortex following treatment with (es)ketamine leads to...
Recent studies have demonstrated that subanesthetic dose of ketamine or its S-enantiomer, esketamine, can paradoxically accelerate the recovery of consciousness in rodents following general anesthesia. However, the neural mechanisms underlying this "awakening-promoting" effect remain poorly understood. Adult C57BL/6J mice were anesthetized with propofol, 0and a low dose of esketamine (2mg/kg)...
Pharmacological ResearchNovember 22, 2025Zhuo-Ning Zhang, Xin-Yu Hao, Chen Cai et al.5 citations
This randomized, double-blind, parallel-group trial evaluated the efficacy of a single intravenous dose of esketamine (0.3mg/kg) administered at anesthesia induction in reducing postoperative depression and anxiety among patients undergoing cardiac valve surgery. A total of 142 patients from three centers were randomly assigned to receive esketamine or saline. The primary outcomes were the...
Purpose: Treatment-resistant depression (TRD) is a common phenomenon and a considerable clinical challenge; recently, esketamine in conjunction with an oral antidepressant (AD) has emerged as a potential treatment for TRD. Several studies have shown the efficacy of esketamine in improving depressive symptoms. This prospective study aims to explore the long-term effects of esketamine therapy on...
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a chronic psychological disorder that is induced by traumatic events. The pathophysiological mechanism of PTSD involves complex neurobiological processes. However, the underlying mechanism is not clear, leading to lack of effective therapeutic interventions. Mice were exposed to the electric foot shocks using the contextual fear memory paradigm. A...
( JAMA Network Open . 2025;8(2):e2459331. doi: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2024.59331) Postpartum depression (PPD) is a widespread condition affecting about 17.7% of new mothers globally, with an even higher incidence of 21.4% reported in China. Cesarean birth (CB) appears to increase the risk of developing PPD compared to vaginal births. Given the growing recognition of esketamine, a derivative of...
Perioperative (es)ketamine significantly reduces POD risk but not POND. Subgroup analyses reveal esketamine excels in delirium prevention, while racemic ketamine shows better cognitive protection.
Postpartum depression (PPD) is a major global health issue. Although esketamine shows promise for PPD, its preventive effect in cesarean patients with prenatal depression remains unclear. The aim of this trial was to evaluate the effect of perioperative esketamine treatment on PPD incidence in this high-risk population. This dual-center, double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial...
This case report describes the clinical response and safety of intranasal esketamine (Spravato®) in a 61-year-old female with treatment-resistant depression (TRD), a history of electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) poor response, and structural brain abnormalities secondary to left frontal lobe tissue loss from traumatic brain injury in 2008. Despite multiple antidepressant trials, atypical...
Objective: To investigate the clinical application effect of ciprofol combined with low-dose esketamine in painless gastrointestinal endoscopy. Methods: A retrospective analysis was conducted on the clinical data of 160 patients who underwent painless gastrointestinal endoscopy at the Digestive Endoscopy Center of Chengdu Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine Hospital from June...