The mechanisms of action of the rapid antidepressant effects of ketamine, an N-methyl-D-aspartate glutamate receptor antagonist, have not been fully elucidated. This study examined the effects of ketamine on ligand binding to a metabotropic glutamatergic receptor (mGluR5) in individuals with major depressive disorder (MDD) and healthy controls. Thirteen healthy and 13 MDD nonsmokers...
We present a review and analysis of the ethical considerations in off-label ketamine use for severe, treatment-resistant depression. The analysis of ethical considerations is contextualised in an overview of the evidence for ketamine use in depression, and a review of the drug's safety profile. We find that, based on current evidence, ketamine use for severe, treatment-resistant depression does...
Although a number of medications are available for treatment of depressive disorders, one of the major limitations of all present antidepressants is delayed onset of action [1]. In addition, despite recent advances in the pharmacological and non-pharmacological treatment of major depressive disorder, almost one third of patients fail to respond to any treatments [2]. In recent years, one of the...
Introduction: The non-competitive N-methyl-d-aspartate glutamate receptor antagonist ketamine has been shown to have rapid antidepressant effects in treatment-resistant depression (TRD). However, only a few studies have investigated which clinical characteristics predict a response to ketamine. Objectives: To assess sociodemographic variables and clinical markers that predict response to...
Introduction: Several studies have shown that ketamine, an antagonist of NMDA receptors, represents a promising alternative in the treatment of depression. The therapeutic use of ketamine, commonly used at a dose of 0.5 mg/kg, and in a single application IV has been short and requires monitoring in a hospital setting. IM use has been shown to be effective in treating depression and suicide...
Ketamine is an anesthetic drug that is also used for off-label indications such as the mediation of analgesia and sedation in various settings. It is additionally recognized as an agent with antidepressant potential. For depression, it is most commonly administered as a slow intravenous infusion in subanesthetic doses (usually 0.5 mg/kg). As an antidepressant, is strikingly different from...
The ability of the N-methyl-d-aspartate receptor antagonist ketamine to alleviate symptoms in patients suffering from treatment-resistant depression (TRD) is well documented. In this paper, we directly compare in vivo biologic responses in rodents elicited by a recently discovered metabotropic glutamate (mGlu) 2/3 receptor antagonist...
The rapidly-acting antidepressant properties of ketamine are a trend topic in psychiatry. Despite its robust effects, these are ephemeral and can lead to certain adverse events. For this reason, there is still a general concern around the off-label use of ketamine in clinical practice settings. Nonetheless, for refractory depression, it should be an indication to consider. We report the case of...
IntroductionTreatment resistant depression (TRD) affecting approximately 10–30% of all depressed patients often remains misdiagnosed and undertreated, leading to a higher risk of relapse and suicide. Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) and sub-anesthetic ketamine have repeatedly shown to be effective in the TRD population. Administering ketamine as an anesthetic component to augment antidepressant...
Abstract A subset of patients with depression have elevated levels of inflammatory cytokines, and some studies demonstrate interaction between inflammatory factors and treatment outcome. However, most studies focus on only a narrow subset of factors in a patient sample. In the current study, we analyzed broad immune profiles in blood from patients with treatment-resistant depression (TRD) at...