Effect of Acute Ketamine Treatment on Sympathetic Regulation Indexed by Electrodermal Activity in Adolescent Major Depression.
Pharmaceuticals (Basel, Switzerland) March 10, 2024 Veronika Kovacova, Andrea Macejova, Ingrid Tonhajzerova et al. 4 citations
A single intravenous infusion of ketamine reduced depressive symptoms in hospitalized adolescent girls with major depressive disorder, as measured by the MADRS and CDI scales, without significantly altering electrodermal activity (EDA) parameters such as skin conductance level or nonspecific electrodermal responses. The study involved 20 girls with an average age of 15.0 years. Before treatment, lower skin conductance level correlated with higher scores on certain CDI subscales, and fewer nonspecific electrodermal responses correlated with higher scores on one MADRS item. The findings suggest ketamine may be a safe and effective acute antidepressant for adolescents, as it improved mood without disrupting sympathetic regulation.