Magnesium level and impulsivity during ketamine administration for treatment-resistant mood disorders.
Jakub Słupski, Adam Włodarczyk, Natalia Górska, Joanna Szarmach, Anita Słupska, Karolina Pilecka, Aleksander Kwaśny, Żaneta Kowalska, Wiesław Jerzy Cubała
Magnesium research DOI: 10.1684/mrh.2024.0534 via PubMed
Summary
AI-generated from the abstractImpulsive behaviors are common in major depressive disorder and bipolar disorder, raising suicide risk and mood instability. Ketamine, an NMDA receptor antagonist, can produce rapid antidepressant and antisuicidal effects, and magnesium given with low-dose NMDA antagonists reduces anxiety- and depression-like behaviors in animals. This observational study of 49 inpatients with treatment-resistant mood disorders measured impulsivity with the Barratt Impulsiveness Scale (BIS-11) and magnesium levels before and during a four-week course of eight ketamine infusions. Magnesium ion concentration during treatment was not associated with changes in BIS-11 scores. The findings provide no evidence for a relationship between magnesium levels and impulsivity during ketamine therapy.
Study at a glance
| Characteristics | Observational study Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 49 |
| Population | Inpatients with treatment-resistant mood disorders |
| Intervention | Ketamine intravenous infusions |
| Duration | Four weeks (eight infusions over four weeks, with assessments before the first, third, fifth, and seventh infusions and one week after the last) |
| Topics | Depression Ketamine |
| Keywords | Impulsivity Mood disorders Ketamine therapy Treatment-resistant depression trd Magnesium deficiency |
| Key finding | Magnesium concentration during ketamine treatment was not associated with changes in impulsivity as measured by the Barratt Impulsiveness Scale. |
Abstract
Impulsive behaviours affect patients with major depressive disorder (MDD) and bipolar disorder (BP), increasing suicide risk and mood instability. Ketamine, an N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor (NMDAR) antagonist, has been reported to promote fast-acting antidepressive and antisuicidal effects. Magnesium administered contemporarily with low-dose NMDA antagonists has been shown to cause a reduction in anxiety-related and depressive-like behaviours. This observational study investigated the possible association between magnesium levels and impulsivity, measured using the Barratt Impulsiveness Scale (BIS-11), during ketamine treatment. Forty-nine inpatients with treatment-resistant mood disorders were involved in the study. The study therapeutic intervention was based on the administration of eight ketamine intravenous infusions over four weeks. The BIS-11 and magnesium levels were assessed for every subject before the first, third, fifth and seventh ketamine infusion and one week after the last infusion. The concentration of magnesium ions during the ketamine treatment was not associated with BIS-11 changes. The study does not provide evidence for a relationship between magnesium concentration and impulsivity, measured using the BIS-11, during ketamine treatment.