Efficacy of ketamine therapy in the treatment of depression
Suprio Mandal, VinodKumar Sinha, Nishant Goyal
Indian Journal of Psychiatry January 1, 2019 DOI: 10.4103/psychiatry.indianjpsychiatry_484_18 via OpenAlex
Summary
AI-generated from the abstractKetamine, an N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor antagonist, produced a rapid improvement in depressive and anxiety symptoms in 25 drug-free men with severe depression. Improvement was observed within one hour of the first subanesthetic dose (0.5 mg/kg intravenous bolus) and was sustained one month after the last of six doses given over two weeks. Illness severity did not improve. Transient adverse effects occurred in some patients but resolved within an hour. The findings suggest ketamine has a robust and rapid antidepressant effect, though the study lacks a control group and is limited to men.
Study at a glance
| Characteristics | Observational cohort Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 25 |
| Population | Drug-free/naïve men with severe depression, no history of psychotic disorder, head injury, organic disorder, cardiological problem, or substance abuse |
| Intervention | Ketamine hydrochloride |
| Dose | 0.5 mg/kg intravenous bolus |
| Duration | 2-week intervention, 1-month follow-up after last dose |
| Citations | 92 |
| Key finding | Ketamine produced a rapid and sustained improvement in depression and anxiety, but not illness severity, in men with severe depression. |
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Severe depressive disorder is among most debilitating condition. Conventional pharmacotherapy usually takes several weeks (usually 4-12 weeks) to improve symptoms. Ketamine is an N-methyl-D aspartate receptor antagonist having rapid action on depressive symptoms. OBJECTIVES: The effect of subanesthetic dose of ketamine was assessed on depressive and anxiety symptoms. Illness severity and improvement were assessed after treatment with ketamine. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Twenty-five drug-free/naïve patients of the male sex, with severe depression having no previous history of psychotic disorder, head injury, organic disorder, cardiological problem, or substance abuse were admitted for the study. Assessments were made at baseline and injection ketamine hydrochloride was given at a subanesthetic dose of 0.5 mg/kg intravenous bolus after preparation. Assessments were repeated 1 h after the first dose. Six doses were given over 2 weeks and assessments were repeated. Final assessments were made after 1 month of the last dose. RESULTS: h of the first dose was seen in depression and anxiety and not for illness severity. There were transient adverse effects observed in some patients which subsided within 1 h. CONCLUSION: Ketamine has a robust and rapid effect on depression, which was seen immediately after the administration of ketamine and sustained at the end of 1 month.