Sympathetic activation but not dissociation linked to ketamine's sustained antidepressant effect.
Therapeutic advances in psychopharmacology January 1, 2026 Veronika Andrashko, Tomas Novak, Miloslav Kopecek et al.
Higher blood pressure during ketamine infusion was associated with better antidepressant response in people with depression. Among 39 patients who received a single intravenous dose of ketamine, those who responded at day 7 had significantly higher systolic and diastolic blood pressure during the infusion than nonresponders. Dissociation and psychotomimetic symptoms did not differ between responders and nonresponders. Concomitant antipsychotic medication was linked to worse antidepressant outcome and lower infusion-related blood pressure. Plasma levels of ketamine or norketamine did not correlate with blood pressure, dissociative symptoms, or psychotomimetic effects.