Sustained pharmacodynamic effects of S-ketamine on cortical excitability and resting-state brain activity: A randomized, placebo-controlled trial.

A single intravenous dose of S-ketamine produced acute and delayed effects on brain activity and motor cortex excitability that lasted up to seven days in 16 healthy adults. Intravenous S-ketamine reduced motor-evoked potential amplitude acutely and caused a sustained weakening of long-interval intracortical inhibition, which followed a linear relationship with drug concentration. Transcranial magnetic stimulation combined with electroencephalography showed acute changes in brain electrical activity across all treatments, but delayed changes only after intravenous and high-dose oral S-ketamine. Electroencephalography revealed acute decreases in alpha, beta, and delta power with eyes closed, and sustained increases in delta power with eyes open, the latter also showing a linear concentration-effect relationship. These delayed pharmacodynamic effects are distinct from acute effects and may help explain S-ketamine's antidepressant action.

Study at a glance

Abstract

This study aimed to investigate a set of pharmacodynamic biomarkers reflecting acute, delayed and sustained central nervous system effects of S-ketamine, used as a tool compound for rapid-acting antidepressant activity, with the goal of informing biomarker strategies for delayed antidepressant effects. In this randomized, double-blind, double-dummy, placebo-controlled, 4-way crossover study in 16 healthy participants, we administered S-ketamine in a therapeutic intravenous dose (IV), a low and high oral dose, versus placebo. Measurements were conducted from baseline up to 7 days post-dose using Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation combined with electromyography (TMS-EMG) and encephalography (TMS-EEG), pharmaco-electroencephalography (pEEG), alongside drug and metabolite plasma concentrations. Outcomes were analysed using mixed-effects ANCOVA and cluster-based permutation testing. Post-hoc concentration-effect relationships were explored. IV S-ketamine induced an acute reduction in motor-evoked potential (MEP) amplitude and sustained attenuation of long-interval intracortical inhibition (LICI50), the latter showing a linear concentration-effect relationship with the parent compound. Acute TEP modulation was observed across all treatments, whereas delayed effects occurred only after IV and high-dose oral. pEEG showed acute reductions in alpha, beta and delta power (eyes closed) and sustained increases in delta power (eyes open) following IV and high-dose oral S-ketamine; with delta power exhibiting a less analyte-specific linear concentration-effect relationship. We provide evidence suggestive of delayed pharmacodynamic effects of S-ketamine in healthy participants sustained up to 7 days post-dose, using TMS and pEEG derived measures, which are markedly distinct from its acute effects and may be relevant to understand its antidepressant efficacy.