This column focuses on the status of intravenous racemic ketamine for the treatment of patients suffering from a form of major depressive disorder that does not respond to trials of currently available biogenic amine antidepressants. To provide context, the column reviews the 3 pivotal elements of the usual Food and Drug Administration (FDA) drug approval process: (1) the unmet medical need...
CureusMarch 1, 2024Shaan I Chaudhri, Amina Amin, Binay K Panjiyar et al.2 citations
Ketamine has been repeatedly demonstrated to be an effective treatment in the management of patients with treatment-resistant depression (TRD). An important question is whether it is equally or more effective than the current gold standard of electroconvulsive therapy (ECT), as the adverse effects of ECT can lead to memory loss and neurocognitive deficits. A literature search was conducted for...
The hippocampus and amygdala have been implicated in the pathophysiology and treatment of major depressive disorder (MDD). Preclinical models suggest that stress-related changes in these regions can be reversed by antidepressants, including ketamine. Clinical studies have identified reduced volumes in MDD that are thought to be potentiated by early life stress and worsened by repeated...
BMC AnesthesiologyFebruary 6, 2024Shurong Li, Zhifang Zhuo, Renwei Li et al.
Background Postpartum depression (PPD) following a cesarean delivery is a frequently seen complication. Despite the prophylactic effects of ketamine, the impact of esketamine on PPD in women undergoing cesarean section remains uncertain. This study aimed to assess the effectiveness of esketamine as an adjunct to patient-controlled intravenous analgesia (PCIA) in preventing PPD in women...
BACKGROUND: Bipolar depression is the major cause of morbidity in patients with bipolar disorder. It affects psychosocial functioning and markedly impairs occupational productivity. Anhedonia is one of the most debilitating symptoms of depression contributing to treatment resistance. It correlates with suicidality, low quality of life, social withdrawal, and poor treatment response. Currently,...
Przedmiot badań. U części pacjentów z depresją szczególnie nie odpowiadających na leczenie standardowymi lekami przeciwdepresyjnymi lub z myślami bądź próbami samobójczymi, stan zapalny jako źródło cytokin, przyczynia się do braku odpowiedzi na zastosowane terapie. Szansą dla takich osób jest terapia przy pomocy ketaminy. S-ketamina to szybko działający lek przeciwdepresyjny o wysokiej...
Frontiers in PsychiatryFebruary 1, 2024Alessandro Rodolico, Pierfelice Cutrufelli, Antonio Di Francesco et al.28 citations
Background Unipolar and bipolar depression present treatment challenges, with patients sometimes showing limited or no response to standard medications. Ketamine and its enantiomer, esketamine, offer promising alternative treatments that can quickly relieve suicidal thoughts. This Overview of Reviews (OoR) analyzed and synthesized systematic reviews (SRs) with meta-analysis on randomized...
In this paper, the case study of ketamine as a new treatment for severe depression is used to outline the challenges of repurposing established medicines and we suggest potential solutions. The antidepressant effects of generic racemic ketamine were identified over 20 years ago, but there were insufficient incentives for commercial entities to pursue its registration, or support for...
CureusFebruary 1, 2024Suneeta Kumari, Hassan A Chaudhry, Adam Sagot et al.13 citations
The expansive spectrum of major depressive disorder (MDD) continues to pose challenges for psychiatrists to treat effectively. Oral antidepressant (OAD) medications that alter monoamine neurotransmitters, mainly selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) and selective norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs), have been the mainstay of therapy for decades. Although these drugs have been...
medRxiv Preprint ServerJanuary 30, 2024Lauren N. Swanson, Lila S. Jones, Jose Muñoz Aycart et al.
preprint
Objective To evaluate the effectiveness of repeated at-home ketamine treatments for depression, generalized anxiety, and social anxiety and assess safety in terms of adverse effects and tendency towards long-term use.