Functional changes in sleep-related arousal after ketamine administration in individuals with treatment-resistant depression.
Translational psychiatry June 4, 2024 Elizabeth D Ballard, Deanna Greenstein, Philip T Reiss et al. 16 citations
Ketamine, a drug that modulates the glutamate system, is linked to changes in sleep, depression, and suicidal thoughts. In a randomized, double-blind, crossover trial, 36 people with treatment-resistant major depression and 25 healthy volunteers underwent polysomnography before and after receiving ketamine or placebo. At baseline, those with depression had less total sleep time and shorter REM latency. Ketamine increased slow-wave (delta) brain activity early in the night and both alpha and delta activity later, compared to placebo. However, ketamine did not significantly alter sleep arousal metrics or mediate its antidepressant or anti-suicidal effects through sleep changes. The findings suggest sleep-related variables are part of broader neurobiological shifts after ketamine.