European Psychiatry
February 13, 2026
Haining Ma, Huaigui Liu, Wenwei Zhang et al.
Considerable effort has been devoted to investigate the neuroimaging correlates and predictors of antidepressant response to ketamine, yet inconsistency in the location and nature of the regional brain effects makes it difficult to unify this research. Despite the revolutionary notion that psychiatric therapeutics show network-level brain representations, investigations into network...
Research Square
February 11, 2026
Jack Swain, Davis Carter, Leonardo Vando
preprint
Abstract Background: Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a common mental health condition affecting approximately 3-6% of the U.S. adult population annually, and is characterized by intrusive symptoms, avoidance, negative cognitive and mood alterations, and hyperarousal following trauma exposure. Ketamine shows promise as a treatment for PTSD in preliminary trials, though real-world...
bioRxiv (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory)
February 10, 2026
Erdem Pulcu, Sara Costi, Pilar Artiach-Hortelano et al.
preprint
Abstract Ketamine is an NMDA receptor antagonist with rapid-antidepressant properties when administered at a sub-anesthetic dose. Preclinical models indicate that a direct injection of ketamine into lateral habenula (Hb), a small midbrain structure with an evolutionarily preserved role in aversive learning across mammals, can rapidly relieve depression-like behavior. However, there is limited...
February 10, 2026
Jolien K E Veraart
This thesis explores the use of ketamine in people with treatment-resistant depression. It starts by examining the concept of treatment-resistant depression, a term that is widely used but poorly defined. Importantly, this label may negatively influence patients’ expectations and sense of hope. As an alternative, more neutral framing is suggested.Survey data from individuals seeking ketamine...
BMC Psychiatry
February 9, 2026
Song-Yuan Liu, Rong Huang, Zhuang Liu et al.
BACKGROUND: In recent years, evidence has suggested that subanesthetic doses of esketamine may have beneficial effects on perioperative anxiety and depression. Concurrently, various factors contribute to a high incidence of perioperative depression and anxiety in the breast cancer patient population. This study aimed to explore the impact of preoperative induction and intraoperative maintenance...
International Journal of Psychiatry in Clinical Practice
February 7, 2026
Daniel Pustay, Vishal Patel, Krista Ulisse et al.
Treatment-resistant depression (TRD) remains a complex challenge, often requiring interventions beyond standard medications. This review explores factors that may predict positive response to electroconvulsive therapy (ECT), repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) and ketamine-based treatments to help guide clinical decision-making. A systematic review was conducted following PRISMA...
Psychopharmacology
February 7, 2026
Rebecca J Simpson, Mario F Juruena
1 citation
Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) is a common and debilitating condition. Current treatments fail to provide adequate relief in roughly one-third of individuals, resulting in treatment-resistant depression (TRD). Ketamine has emerged as a promising intervention for TRD, offering rapid and sustained antidepressant effects. However, benefits often require maintenance dosing, and long-term outcomes...
Neuropsychobiology
February 5, 2026
Lavanya Seth, Jitendriya Biswal, Surjeet Sahoo et al.
Severe depressive episodes with suicidal ideation present major therapeutic challenges and often require interventions beyond standard antidepressant therapy. Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) remains a cornerstone treatment for refractory depression, while ketamine, an N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor antagonist, has emerged as a rapid-acting antidepressant with potential benefits in...
Brain Sciences
February 4, 2026
Katarina Savić Vujović, Sonja Vučković, Lara Samardžić et al.
Background: Ketamine and magnesium sulfate are commonly used perioperatively to prevent shivering, a frequent and clinically relevant complication of spinal and general anesthesia. Although their hypothermic effects are well documented, the neurotransmitter mechanisms underlying these effects remain insufficiently understood. This study examines whether serotonergic, adrenergic (α2), and...
Addiction Science & Clinical Practice
February 4, 2026
Maya Appley, Jessica R Gray, Dima Abdulrahim et al.
1 citation
Non-medical ketamine use is becoming increasingly common in the United States (US), but awareness remains limited among US healthcare providers. Here we present the case of a young woman who developed severe ketamine use disorder in the setting of an acute exacerbation of chronic post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). She also demonstrated symptoms concerning for two known complications of...