Glutamatergic abnormalities in several brain regions, including the ventromedial orbitofrontal cortex (vmOFC) and prefrontal cortex (vmPFC), have been implicated in the pathophysiology of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). (R, S)-ketamine, an N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor antagonist, and enantiopure (S)-ketamine may have therapeutic effects in patients and animal models of OCD....
Aims: To examine associations between psychedelic use and adverse health outcomes, including overdose, relapse, mental health crises, and hospitalizations, among individuals with substance use disorders (SUD), and to compare these outcomes across different treatment modalities including anesthetics and outpatient SUD services. Design: Retrospective cohort study using propensity score-weighted...
Journal of Clinical MedicineOctober 24, 2025Adriano Dos-Santos, Lucas Porto Fernandes Dos Santos, Gabriela Da Silva-Santos et al.
Background/Objectives: Ketamine, widely used for its anesthetic and analgesic properties, has been linked to cardiotoxic effects, particularly with chronic use. Prolonged ketamine exposure may impair cardiovascular function, while aerobic exercise is known to promote protective cardiovascular adaptations. This study aimed to evaluate whether aerobic training can mitigate the deleterious...
More than 280 million individuals worldwide suffer from depression, which is one of the main causes of mental disability. It has multiple subtypes, and conventional treatments have limitations such as slow onset of action, high non-response rate, and numerous side effects. For instance, it takes two to six weeks for selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) to start working, and about 30%...
Hospital PharmacyOctober 23, 2025Moomal Memon, Rukhsana Gul, Arif Gul et al.1 citation
Depression, projected to be the leading cause of global disability by 2030, affects up to 19.62% of Pakistan's population. Treatment-resistant depression (TRD), characterized by poor response to at least two antidepressants, poses a major clinical challenge. Although interventions like ECT exist, their use is limited by systemic barriers. Esketamine, an NMDA receptor antagonist, offers a...
Key Points Question For inpatients with moderate to severe depression, is repeated intravenous ketamine superior to a psychoactive placebo (midazolam) in reducing depressive symptoms? Findings In this randomized clinical trial, there was no statistically significant difference in the primary outcome, end-of-treatment Montgomery-Åsberg Depression Rating Scale score, between the ketamine and...
Esketamine rapidly improved suicidality and depression in TRD, with preliminary evidence suggesting gender-specific responses, and highlighting the importance of tailored interventions to maximize outcomes. Further research is needed to confirm these differences, explore the long-term effects, and understand the underlying mechanisms.
Major Depressive Disorder is one of the most common mental illnesses worldwide, with oral antidepressant medication being the first-line psychopharmacological treatment option. The term Treatment Resistant Depression (TRD) is used to describe patients who remain symptomatic despite multiple trials of antidepressant medication. There had been limited FDA-approved treatment options for patients...
OBJECTIVE: Many first responders deal with mental health challenges due to significant work-related stress. Ketamine-assisted therapy (KAT) has been shown to alleviate the symptoms and improve the lives of those living with PTSD. This qualitative case study explores the impacts of KAT on the firefighters beyond the initial alleviation of their PTSD symptoms. METHODS: Six firefighters who were...
CNS DrugsOctober 16, 2025Gisèle Pickering, Véronique Morel, Marion Voute2 citations
Ketamine, an anaesthetic and sedative drug, has emerged as a promising therapeutic option for the management of chronic refractory pain, but is used off-label in this indication and known for its psychomimetic side-effects. The primary objective of this manuscript is to synthesize the current evidence on ketamine efficacy and safety for chronic refractory pain. Furthermore, it aims to identify...
CancersOctober 15, 2025Ron Batash, Noam Asna, Syed Ahsan Ali et al.2 citations
This is the first clinical evaluation of a topical combination with new concentrations of amitriptyline and ketamine for CIPN. The results suggest this formulation offers a safe and effective option for symptomatic relief. Larger randomized controlled trials and exploration of transdermal delivery systems are warranted to validate these findings and optimize treatment outcomes.
Psychiatry InvestigationOctober 15, 2025Hong-Ci Lin, Chia-Yu Chang, Ching-Huang Lin et al.1 citation
This case report discusses a 62-year-old male with treatment-resistant bipolar II depression and hypertension. After poor responses to multiple treatments, an add-on esketamine nasal spray (ESK-NS) was introduced in October 2022. Improvement was seen, and the patient's depressive episode was nearly remitted during the maintenance phase. However, recurrence was noted when ESK-NS frequency was...
Major depressive disorder is a severe mental condition characterized by abnormalities in the structure and function of the brain. Ketamine is a novel antidepressant that has rapid effects on depression. This drug is clinically used to treat depression in patients with acute suicidal ideation or behavior. It is typically administered at a dose of 84 mg. However, the distribution of ketamine in...
Ketamine is effective for treatment resistant depression (TRD); but cost-effectiveness evidence remains limited. To evaluate the cost-effectiveness of subcutaneous ketamine for TRD from health sector and societal perspectives. A cost-utility analysis alongside the KADS randomised controlled trial (RCT) involved 174 participants receiving ketamine or midazolam (active control) twice weekly for 4...
Clinical response and remission may not fully reflect patient priorities in treatment-resistant depression (TRD). Health-related quality-of-life (HRQoL) outcomes should be assessed to comprehensively capture treatment benefits. ESCAPE-TRD (NCT04338321) was a 32-week randomized, phase IIIb trial comparing esketamine nasal spray (NS) versus quetiapine extended release (XR), both alongside an...
Recent evidence suggests that NMDA receptor antagonists, such as ketamine, may offer benefit in catatonia. This systematic review was conducted to evaluate the efficacy and safety of ketamine and esketamine for catatonia.
ACS Chemical NeuroscienceOctober 13, 2025Rajiv Agrawal, Daniel J. Gillie, Alison E. Mungenast et al.8 citations
Many neuropsychiatric conditions, including depression, involve synaptic loss and atrophy of the prefrontal cortex. The rapid regrowth of cortical neurons has been hypothesized to explain the rapid and enduring therapeutic effects of psychedelics and the dissociative anesthetic ketamine. However, safety concerns related to hallucinogenic/dissociative properties have limited the addressable...
HippocampusOctober 7, 2025Yiru Dong, Jundi Wang, Olivia Ge et al.
Anorexia nervosa (AN) has high mortality and relapse rates, yet no accepted pharmacotherapies. Reports based on six individuals suggest that ketogenic diet (KGD) combined with sub‐anesthetic ketamine (KET) is an effective treatment. The animal model, Activity‐Based Anorexia (ABA), captures AN's maladaptive behaviors of voluntary food restriction, excessive exercise, severe weight loss,...
Research SquareOctober 7, 2025Małgorzata Domżalska, Joanna Kwiatkowska, Iwona Cichoń et al.
preprint
Abstract Depression is a debilitating mental disorder affecting millions worldwide, yet current pharmacological treatments, such as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), often exhibit delayed onset and limited efficacy. The chronic social defeat (CSD) stress model in mice is a well-established preclinical paradigm for inducing depression-like behaviors and evaluating antidepressants...
Nonprescribed use of ketamine has increased worldwide due to its hallucinogenic and psychedelic effects. Ketamine use disorders (KUDs) are marked by intense cravings and tolerance, which often trigger relapses and worsen recovery outcomes, defined as sustained ketamine abstinence with reduced cravings, resolved withdrawal symptoms, and improved psychosocial functioning. Currently, there are no...