IntroductionKetamine is widely recognized for its dissociative anesthetic properties, particularly in procedural sedation and severe pain management among children, adolescents, and young adults. Despite its noted applications, research investigating ketamine’s impact on mood and suicidality within this specific demographic remains limited. This retrospective review seeks to address this gap by...
Substance use disorders (SUDs) are notoriously difficult to treat due to complex biopsychosocial underpinnings and high relapse rates. Recent evidence positions ketamine-assisted psychotherapy (KAP) as a promising intervention for treatment-resistant addiction. This review explores ketamine’s neurobiological mechanisms, its synergistic effect with psychotherapy, and clinical data supporting its...
Background. Treatment-resistant depression (TRD) is a prevalent, high-burden disorder. Esketamine nasal spray (ESK-NS) has been approved for, T.R.D.; and efficacy has been observed in both clinical trials and real-world studies. However, observations integrating patients’ perspective on this treatment are limited. This multicentric Italian study explored experiences with ESK-NS in TRD patients,...
European PsychiatryApril 1, 2025Lars Arvastson, Evangelos Papanastasiou, Karin Schmid et al.
IntroductionCurrent ketamine-based therapies for treatment-resistant depression (TRD) can induce dissociative symptoms. A novel oral prolonged-release ketamine formulation (KET01) results in a lower and delayed peak concentration of ketamine, and a higher concentration of the metabolites norketamine and hydroxynorketamine than after intravenous administration. KET01 has limited dissociative...
European PsychiatryApril 1, 2025Ilídio Oliveira, A. L. Stephany, M. L. Geremias et al.
Introduction Anxious depression (AxD) as an independent diagnostic has been controversial, with many suggesting it as a transient state and others highlighting evidence of a worse outcome, severity, and increased suicide risk. The International Classification of Diseases (ICD-11) lists a related concept under 6A73, Mixed depressive and anxiety disorder. Previous literature on ketamine’s...
European PsychiatryApril 1, 2025Cristina Serritella, Federica Ferraiuolo, Mark Piccirillo et al.
Introduction The effectiveness of Es-ketamine therapy in the treatment of psycho-pathological symptoms is the subject of growing interest in the scientific community. Through the use of validated psychometric instruments, this study aims to delineate more precisely the mechanisms of action and clinical potential of this therapy, contributing to the advancement of knowledge in psychiatry....
Neurocritical careApril 1, 2025Trine Hjorslev Andreasen, Frederik Andreas Madsen, Marija Barbateskovic et al.8 citations
Patients with severe acute brain injury have a high risk of a poor clinical outcome due to primary and secondary brain injury. Ketamine reportedly inhibits cortical spreading depolarization, an electrophysiological phenomenon that has been associated with secondary brain injury, making ketamine potentially attractive for patients with severe acute brain injury. The aim of this systematic review...
Ketamine has shown promise in rapidly improving symptoms of depression and most notably treatment-resistant depression (TRD). However, given the heterogeneity of TRD, biobehavioral markers of treatment response are necessary for the personalized prescription of intravenous ketamine. Heterogeneity in depression can be manifested in discrete patterns of functional connectivity (FC) in default...
Depression is predicted to be the leading burden of disease worldwide by 2030 with a prevalence of 10% to 60% in the surgical population. Depressive symptoms in the perioperative population are associated with a myriad of grave complications, including higher morbidity and mortality. This systematic review aims to determine whether a single dose of intravenous ketamine can be used...
To determine whether there is disproportionate reporting of hepatobiliary disorders in the United States (US) FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) for individuals prescribed ketamine or esketamine. We identified Medical Dictionary for Regulatory Activities (MedDRA) terms in the FAERS related to hepatobiliary disorders. Formulations of ketamine and esketamine were evaluated for the...
Importance: Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) and cognitive behavioral therapy are the first-line treatments for pediatric obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) populations. Due to their limited effectiveness, additional treatment options are needed. A new potential pharmacological medication treatment avenue for OCD is intravenous (IV) ketamine. Objective: This study aimed to...
Patients with treatment resistant depression (TRD) experience a greater negative impact on their functioning and productivity at home and in the workplace versus treatment-responsive patients. Here, we report the effects of esketamine nasal spray (NS) versus quetiapine extended release (XR) on functioning, work productivity and activity impairment. ESCAPE‑TRD (NCT04338321) was a 32-week...
CytotechnologyApril 1, 2025Jianjun Ouyang, Weiqiang Xiao, Di Wu et al.8 citations
The use of tourniquets (TQ) during the total knee arthroplasty (TKA) induced ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) injury in the limb, resulting in the release of inflammatory cytokines and reactive oxygen species (ROS), therefore leading to myocardial damage. This study aimed to investigate the effects and molecular mechanism of Esketamine on myocardial injury (MI) caused by TQ-induced I/R injury. A...
The primate brain is a densely interconnected organ whose function is best understood by recording from the entire structure in parallel, rather than parts of it in sequence. However, available methods either have limited temporal resolution (functional magnetic resonance imaging; fMRI), limited spatial resolution (macroscopic electroencephalography), or a limited field of view (microscopic...
The simplest, most convenient, and least expensive way to treat depressed and suicidal patients with ketamine is to administer racemic ketamine by the oral route. We describe the first active-controlled randomized clinical trial of oral racemic ketamine for suicidal ideation associated with depression. Adult patients with major depressive disorder and expressed suicidal ideation were randomized...
Ketamine, an antagonist of N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor, is extensively employed in pediatric anesthesia. Multiple studies have shown that repeated ketamine exposure induces neuroapoptosis, synaptic changes and cognitive deficits during neurodevelopment. Therefore, it is essential to elucidate the mechanisms of ketamine-induced neurotoxicity and develop therapies to mitigate its harmful...
Ketamine's unique pharmacological profile, safety, modulation of multiple neurotransmitter systems, and ability to produce neuroplastic changes make it a subject of study with implications for a wide range of neuropsychiatric disorders beyond its traditional use as an anesthetic agent. This article aims to provide an overview of the pharmacology of ketamine and briefly discuss its emerging use...
Ketamine, a fast-acting antidepressant, is a racemic mixture, composed of equal amounts of R- and S-ketamine. Preclinical studies are comparing them to better understand their role in therapeutic and undesirable effects. An important research gap is that studies do not use long clinically relevant protocols to compare the desired and undesired effects of ketamine enantiomers in modeled and...
Schizophrenia (SCZ) has limited treatment options, often with significant side effects. Cannabidiol (CBD), a non-euphoric phytocannabinoid, has shown potential as a novel therapeutic option in SCZ due to antipsychotic-like, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant properties. We compared the therapeutic effects of CBD and risperidone (RISP) in a rat model of SCZ induced by sub-chronic ketamine (KET),...
To determine whether intraoperative low-dose esketamine ameliorates depression in women having breast cancer surgery. A prospective single-center double blind randomized placebo-controlled trial. Perioperative period, operating room, post anesthesia care unit and hospital ward. 108 women 18-65 years old who were scheduled for elective breast cancer surgery. All had preoperative depressive...