Effects of cannabis use on antidepressant treatment response to repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation and ketamine
medRxiv Preprint Server – June 28, 2023
Source: medRxiv
Summary
Could cannabis affect how well depression treatments work? Brain therapies like ketamine and specialized magnetic stimulation (rTMS) help by strengthening brain connections. Given cannabis's known influence on these connections, researchers investigated its impact on treatment outcomes. Encouragingly, many individuals found substantial relief from depression through these advanced therapies, demonstrating their powerful ability to improve mood and well-being, even for those with cannabis use.
Abstract
Background The antidepressant effects of ketamine and repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) are hypothesized to rely on mechanisms of long-term-potentiation and synaptic plasticity. Cannabis, via activation of CB1 receptors has been shown to impair synaptic plasticity, suggesting that cannabis use might moderate the antidepressant effects of ketamine and/or rTMS.