Anhedonia Behavioural Activation and Ketamine Therapy (AAKT): Shaping a Proposal With Patient and Public Involvement
BJPsych Open June 1, 2025 Anna Borissova, Allan H. Young, Mitul A. Mehta et al.
In interviews with seven people who had previously received ketamine for treatment-resistant depression, participants were motivated by hope for symptom improvement and a desire to support depression research. They described feeling more open and involved after ketamine and thought it could enhance therapy sessions. They suggested clearer communication that mood changes may not last, providing audiovisual materials to prepare for the infusion experience, and offering check-ins between sessions plus a final session for referrals and support. These insights informed a planned feasibility randomized controlled trial comparing intravenous ketamine plus behavioral activation (n=20) against midazolam plus behavioral activation (n=20) for major depressive disorder with anhedonia.