Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) and Treatment-Resistant Depression (TRD) are debilitating psychiatric conditions associated with significant psychosocial and economic burdens. Conventional antidepressants, particularly SSRIs and SNRIs, often produce inadequate responses and cause sexual dysfunction, contributing to poor adherence and diminished quality of life. This review aims to evaluate the...
Treatment-Resistant Depression (TRD) remains a major challenge in the management of Major Depressive Disorder (MDD). Esketamine, the S-enantiomer of ketamine and a glutamatergic modulator, was approved by the FDA and EMA for TRD in 2019. Beyond its rapid antidepressant effects, esketamine may enhance neuroplasticity, facilitating the reconnection with emotional and cognitive processes,...
Nasal esketamine has demonstrated efficacy in the management of treatment-resistant depression and psychiatric emergency due to major depression. This study investigates acceptance and awareness of esketamine as a depression treatment option, focusing on factors that influence patients' acceptance, including adherence to current medication regimens, regardless of prior esketamine exposure. This...
Ketamine and esketamine have demonstrated rapid, short-term antidepressant effects in major depressive disorder (MDD), but their relative safety remains unclear. This review aims to update the evidence on the safety of two agents for MDD and indirectly compare their safety and tolerability. We systematically searched PubMed, PsycINFO, Embase, and Cochrane databases up to 1 May 2025. Eligible...
Ketamine's antidepressant effects have been linked to its modulation of glutamatergic neurotransmission and synaptic plasticity. However, the precise roles of both glutamate (Glu) levels and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) in this process remain incompletely understood. This study examined the relationship between ketamine-induced changes in Glu levels and peripheral BDNF levels using...
Depression affects approximately 5.7% of adults worldwide, and around one-third of these individuals develop treatment-resistant depression (TRD). Intravenous (IV) ketamine and esketamine (administered IV or intranasally (IN)) are novel treatment options for TRD; however, only IN esketamine currently holds FDA approval. Compare the acute effectiveness of IV ketamine with esketamine (IV or IN)...
To investigate the efficacy of intranasal esketamine in reducing the incidence of emergence agitation (EA) in pediatric patients undergoing adenotonsillectomy and to determine the optimal dose of esketamine. A total of 204 children aged 3-6 years scheduled for adenotonsillectomy were randomly assigned to three groups. All participants received a standardized anesthetic induction protocol....
Postoperative sleep disturbance (PSD) is a common complication following surgery. Numerous factors can contribute to PSD, including personal factors, intraoperative factors, postoperative complications and environmental factors. PSD can lead to a range of adverse outcomes, severely impairing patients' postoperative recovery and long-term prognosis. Esketamine, a non-competitive...
Catatonia is a rare but potentially life-threatening psycho-motor syndrome. It is mainly manifested as decreased activities, or excessive and specific activities, such as stupor, agitation and defiance. Catatonia can appear in various diseases and the diagnosis and treatment of depressive catatonia are often delayed. As an N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor antagonist, esketamine shows...
Although Dexmedetomidine (DEX) can induce sleep that resembles natural sleep, it has demonstrated limited efficacy in patients with comorbid insomnia and depression. On the other hand, Esketamine (ESK) has shown a potent antidepressant effect. Herein, we aimed to establish whether esketamine could enhance the therapeutic efficacy of DEX in treating patients with comorbid insomnia and...