Therapeutic advances in psychopharmacology
April 1, 2017
Álvaro López-díaz, José Luis Fernández-gonzález, José Evaristo Luján-jiménez et al.
27 citations
A case report describes a female patient hospitalized for months with treatment-resistant bipolar depression and chronic suicidal behavior. After repeated intravenous ketamine infusions with no notable side effects, she achieved complete clinical recovery for four weeks following discharge. Depressive symptoms returned in the fifth week, leading to hospital readmission after a suicide attempt. The report highlights ketamine's rapid but temporary antidepressant effects and the risk of relapse, underscoring concerns about its off-label use in clinical practice despite its potential for refractory depression.
Psychiatry research
June 1, 2025
Ekin Alkan, Geetanjali Kumar, Shreya Ravichandran et al.
11 citations
Mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs), including Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, and Dialectical Behavioural Therapy, are effective at reducing depressive symptoms across a range of psychiatric disorders. A systematic review and meta-analysis of 35 randomized controlled trials covering 12 diagnostic categories found that these interventions produced significant effect sizes compared to active control conditions. The findings suggest that MBIs can serve as a cost-effective, transdiagnostic tool for treating depressive symptoms not only in depressive disorders but across mental health conditions.
Journal of psychopharmacology (Oxford, England)
January 1, 2025
Luis Gutiérrez-Rojas, Julia Vendrell-Serres, J Antoni Ramos-Quiroga et al.
8 citations
Intranasal esketamine, combined with an antidepressant, significantly reduced depressive symptoms in patients with severe treatment-resistant depression. In a retrospective study of 71 patients (70% women, 85% with work disability), Montgomery-Asberg depression rating scale scores dropped from a mean baseline of 38.27 at 28, 90, and 180 days. Side effects were common but mostly mild and temporary. Patients who also received psychotherapy had lower depression scores at 90 and 180 days than those who did not. The authors argue that pharmacological treatment for treatment-resistant depression should be integrated with psychotherapy, social support, and family interventions to optimize outcomes.
European neuropsychopharmacology : the journal of the European College of Neuropsychopharmacology
July 17, 2026
Allan H Young, Bernhard T Baune, Beatrice Benatti et al.
A panel of 30 European psychiatrists with expertise in treatment-resistant depression (TRD) reached consensus on strategies for using esketamine nasal spray across treatment phases. During the acute phase (4-12 weeks), even modest reductions in core symptoms support continuing esketamine, especially for patients with long disease course or resistance to multiple therapies. Dose and frequency maximization (84 mg weekly) was recommended to improve acute outcomes. In the continuation phase (6-9 months), monitoring should focus on residual symptoms, functional recovery, and comorbidities. Prolonging maintenance treatment (≥12 months) depends on the degree of worsening when tapering, relapse risk, and recurrence history. Across all phases, integrating psychotherapy, optimizing antidepressants, managing comorbidities, and strengthening support networks were recommended.