The Role of Ketamine in the Treatment of Bipolar Depression: A Scoping Review.
Brain sciences June 4, 2023 Muhammad Youshay Jawad, Saleha Qasim, Menglu Ni et al. 46 citations
Ketamine shows promise as a treatment for bipolar depression, though evidence remains weak. A scoping review of 10 clinical studies (5 randomized controlled trials and 5 open-label studies) found that ketamine was generally tolerable, with minimal risk of triggering manic or hypomanic episodes, and demonstrated some effectiveness in reducing depressive symptoms and suicidality. The treatment may be particularly useful for patients with treatment-resistant bipolar depression. However, more research is needed to establish ketamine's role in both acute and maintenance treatment phases, and to study its potential for preventing recurrence and suicidal behavior.