OBJECTIVE: This review explores ketamine's expanding role in managing both chronic pain and mental health conditions, focusing on its pharmacologic mechanisms, clinical applications, and therapeutic potential. We assess its analgesic properties, FDA-approved application in the form of Spravato (esketamine) for depression, and off-label use for analgesia and psychiatric disorders. METHODS: A...
We investigated the potential role of the opioid system in modulating glutamatergic effects of ketamine administration in major depressive disorder. Twenty-six adults with major depressive disorder participated in a double-blind crossover study, receiving oral placebo or 50 mg naltrexone before an intravenous infusion of 0.5 mg per kg ketamine. Brain glutamatergic activity in the anterior...
Objectives: (R)-ketamine hydrochloride injection is a novel, rapid-acting antidepressant for the treatment of treatment-resistant depression. The aim of this study was to assess the pharmacokinetics, safety, and tolerability of (R)-ketamine hydrochloride injection in healthy Chinese subjects following ascending single intravenous doses ranging from 10.0 mg to 180 mg. Methods: This randomized,...
OBJECTIVES: Ketamine is a prototypical rapid-acting antidepressant for treatment-resistant bipolar depression (TRBD), yet many patients do not achieve a meaningful response. This study explored features of ketamine nonresponse in TRBD. METHODS: In a post hoc analysis of a naturalistic study, 35 TRBD patients received a four-week ketamine regimen (intravenous 0.5 mg/kg or oral 2.0/2.5 mg/kg)....
Depression during pregnancy is often overlooked and undertreated. Ketamine has been shown to exert prompt and sustained antidepressant effects in patients with depression, although concerns of potential neurotoxicity prohibit its use in pregnant women. Here, we aim to investigate the neurobehavioral effects of subanesthetic ketamine on pregnant mice and their offspring. We found that pregnant...
Psychiatry ResearchJuly 19, 2025Kevin J Li, Natalie E Slama, Ingrid L Chen et al.2 citations
Interventional psychiatric procedures (IPPs) such as electroconvulsive therapy (ECT), transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS), and ketamine intravenous treatments (KIT) are widely used for treatment resistant depression (TRD), but we lack studies of their real-world impact compared to standard outpatient medication management (MM). Longitudinal electronic health records of 22,481 patients in a...
PharmaceuticalsJuly 19, 2025Daniel Szawarnoga, Joanna Fojcik, Michał Górski et al.1 citation
Background: Insomnia, as one of the most common sleep disorders, is a significant health problem, especially among patients suffering from drug-resistant depression. Problems related to the quality of sleep in that population can significantly affect the effectiveness of treatment and quality of life, which is why it is necessary to search for effective therapeutic interventions in this area....
Ketamine has emerged as a versatile therapeutic agent with applications spanning anesthesia, pain management, and psychiatric disorders. This review examines ketamine's clinical utility across diverse administration routes, including intravenous, intramuscular, intranasal, and oral, emphasizing the need to individualize dosing regimens. We explore factors influencing ketamine dosing, such as...
Cerebrolysin (CBL), a peptide derived from pig brain, is recognized for its neuroprotective and anti-inflammatory properties. This research aimed to investigate the effects of CBL on anxiety- and depression-like behaviors, spatial memory, the tryptophan/kynurenine (TRP/KYN) pathway, and inflammation in the prefrontal cortex (PFC) of a mouse model for schizophrenia. Thirty-six male BALB/c mice...
This study aims to investigate the acute and sustained antidepressant effects of repeated ketamine infusions in patients with treatment-resistant depression (TRD), and to identify early metabolomic changes predictive of treatment outcomes using metabolome analyses. This open-label study investigated the effects of four intravenous ketamine infusions (0.5 mg/kg) administered over 2 weeks in 30...