Frontiers in Psychiatry
October 25, 2023
Steffen Reissmann, Matthias Hartmann, Andreas Kist et al.
Background: The interest in psychoactive agents for treating mental disorders has gathered a growing body of scientific interest. However, research on the relationship between altered states of consciousness (ASCs) and ketamine's antidepressant properties is still limited. Likewise, approaches to sustain early treatment success for the long-term are needed. Taking both aspects into account, the...
Biology of Sex Differences
October 24, 2023
Sandra Ledesma-Corvi, Jordi Jornet-Plaza, M. García-Fuster
Ketamine is a novel fast-acting antidepressant recently approved for treatment-resistant depression. Since preclinical studies showed sex differences in its efficacy, probably driven by sex hormones (estrogens and testosterone), we evaluated the antidepressant-like effects of ketamine in male and female rats when the biosynthesis of estrogens was inhibited. To do so, we utilized letrozole, an...
Nature Communications
October 19, 2023
Laura M Hack, Xue Zhang, Boris D. Heifets et al.
20 citations
Ketamine commonly and rapidly induces dissociative and other altered states of consciousness (ASCs) in humans. However, the neural mechanisms that contribute to these experiences remain unknown. We used functional neuroimaging to engage key regions of the brain’s affective circuits during acute ketamine-induced ASCs within a randomized, multi-modal, placebo-controlled design examining placebo,...
Nature Mental Health
October 19, 2023
Theresa R. Lii, Ashleigh E. Smith, Josephine R. Flohr et al.
94 citations
Ketamine may have antidepressant properties, but its acute psychoactive effects complicate successful masking in placebo-controlled trials. Here we present a single-center, parallel-arm, triple-masked, randomized, placebo-controlled trial assessing the antidepressant efficacy of intravenous ketamine masked by surgical anesthesia (ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT03861988). Adult patients (N = 40) with...
Nature
October 18, 2023
Shuangshuang Ma, Min Chen, Yihao Jiang et al.
202 citations
The discrepancy between the short half-life of ketamine and its long-lasting effects is due to ketamine being trapped in NMDA receptors, and its release depends on neural activity in the lateral habenula. Ketamine, an N -methyl- d -aspartate receptor (NMDAR) antagonist^ 1 , has revolutionized the treatment of depression because of its potent, rapid and sustained antidepressant effects^ 2 – 4 ....
Neuropharmacology
October 17, 2023
Lucia Caffino, Francesca Mottarlini, Alessandro Piva et al.
14 citations
Despite several decades of investigations, the mechanisms underlying the rapid action of ketamine as antidepressant are still far from being completely understood. Several studies indicated Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF) as critical for the fast antidepressant action of ketamine, due to its contribution in early and rapid synaptic adaptations. However, previous reports have been...
Journal of Medical Case Reports
October 15, 2023
Dan Bolton, Tegest Hailu, Christina A. Porucznik
2 citations
Abstract Background Stuttering may include repetition of words in whole or part, difficulty saying words, and elongated pauses in speech. Approximately 5% of children stutter for a period lasting 6 months or more. Most of those children stop stuttering as they approach adulthood, but the condition persists in approximately 1% of adults. The cause of stuttering is unknown. Adults who stutter...
BJPsych Open
October 13, 2023
Ben Beaglehole, Paul Glue, Mike Clarke et al.
9 citations
Background The evidence base for racemic ketamine treatment for treatment-resistant major depressive disorder (TRD) continues to expand, but there are major challenges translating this evidence base into routine clinical care. Aim To prepare guidelines for ketamine treatment of TRD that are suitable for routine use by publicly funded specialist mental health services. Method We consulted with...
Research Directions Depression
October 13, 2023
Ian B. Hickie, F. Markus Leweke, Allan H. Young
1 citation
In recent years, there has been considerable enthusiasm among research groups focused on developing novel therapies for treatment-resistant depression, and a wider community that has had experiences using recreational drugs, in more systematic evaluation of the therapeutic value of these compounds (Goodwin et al., 2022; Young, 2023). This has also been associated with advocacy for...
Scientific Reports
October 11, 2023
Sven Wasserthal, Mirko Lehmann, Claudia Neumann et al.
7 citations
Schizophrenia is associated with various deficits in social cognition that remain relatively unaltered by antipsychotic treatment. While faulty glutamate signaling has been associated with general cognitive deficits as well as negative symptoms of schizophrenia, no direct link between manipulation of glutamate signaling and deficits in mentalizing has been demonstrated thus far. Here, we...