Toward Integrating Intranasal Esketamine with Traumatic-Memory Psychotherapy in Treatment-Resistant Depression: A Narrative Review and Feasibility-Oriented Protocol Proposal.
Behavioral sciences (Basel, Switzerland) May 14, 2026 Fabiola Raffone, Carlo Ignazio Cattaneo, Enrico Pessina et al.
Trauma-related autobiographical memories can become intrusive and distressing, contributing to post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and depression, including treatment-resistant depression (TRD). Intranasal esketamine, an approved rapid-acting treatment for TRD, may create conditions that facilitate psychotherapeutic work on traumatic memories. This narrative review synthesizes evidence on ketamine and esketamine for PTSD and trauma symptoms, distinguishing intravenous ketamine studies, intranasal esketamine data, and combination approaches with psychotherapy.