Hope for Neurotic Disorders: A Summary of New Zealand Research on the Development of Biomarkers and Novel Treatments.
Journal of the Royal Society of New Zealand February 1, 2026 Neil McNaughton, Shabah M Shadli, B Beaglehole et al.
Neurotic disorders such as depression, anxiety, and PTSD are diagnosed by symptoms rather than biological causes, making them costly and difficult to treat. Researchers in New Zealand have developed an EEG biomarker for anxiety disorders that can detect resistance to conventional treatments, with similar work underway for depression. Ketamine has been identified as a novel treatment for treatment-resistant neurotic disorders, supported by a proposed "double hit" hypothesis of its mechanisms. Similar results have been obtained with ketamine, LSD, and psilocybin, and treatment-related EEG changes have been demonstrated. These developments, potentially combined with psychotherapy, may lead to faster, broader, and more effective treatments, especially with the recent development of oral tablet delivery for home dosing.