MODERN STRATEGIES FOR THE TREATMENT OF TREATMENT-RESISTANT DEPRESSION – A LITERATURE REVIEW
Ignacy Rożek, Wojciech Gąska, Izabela Lekan, Joanna Mazurek, Agnieszka Brzezińska, Weronika Tuszyńska, Alicja Sodolska, Michał Lenart, Barbara Madoń, Barbara Teresińska
International Journal of Innovative Technologies in Social Science September 30, 2025 Peer reviewed DOI: 10.31435/ijitss.3(47).2025.3822 via OpenAlex
Summary
Treatment-resistant depression (TRD) poses a significant challenge in psychiatry, affecting many individuals with major depressive disorder. Current treatments often fail to provide full remission, highlighting the need for more effective interventions. This review discusses various strategies for managing TRD, including pharmacological augmentation, neuromodulation techniques, and psychedelic-assisted therapies like ketamine and psilocybin. It emphasizes the importance of personalized treatment approaches to improve outcomes for patients who do not respond to conventional therapies.
Study at a glance
| Design | review |
|---|---|
| Population | individuals diagnosed with major depressive disorder |
| Key finding | Ketamine, esketamine, and psilocybin are promising options for patients with treatment-resistant depression who do not respond to conventional treatments. |
Abstract
Treatment-resistant depression (TRD) remains a major therapeutic challenge in psychiatry, affecting a substantial proportion of individuals diagnosed with major depressive disorder and contributing significantly to the overall burden of mental illness. Despite decades of research and the availability of numerous antidepressant agents, many patients fail to achieve full remission, which underscores the urgent need for more effective interventions. This review provides a comprehensive and up-to-date analysis of both established and novel strategies for the management of TRD, encompassing pharmacological augmentation approaches, a variety of neuromodulation techniques, the clinical application of psychedelic- assisted therapies, and the development of innovative compounds currently under investigation. Particular emphasis is placed on the therapeutic potential and clinical outcomes associated with ketamine, esketamine, and psilocybin, which have emerged as promising options for patients who do not respond to conventional treatments. In addition, the review explores future directions in TRD management, including the repurposing of agents such as lurasidone, pioglitazone, and minocycline, which may offer new mechanisms of action and improved tolerability. Finally, the discussion highlights the importance of adopting a personalized, evidence-based, and multidimensional treatment approach, with the goal of improving both short-term response rates and long-term functional recovery in individuals suffering from TRD.