A comparison of the antianhedonic effects of repeated ketamine infusions in melancholic and non-melancholic depression
Wei Zheng, Xin-Hu Yang, Li-Mei Gu, Jian-Qiang Tan, Yan-Ling Zhou, Cheng-Yu Wang, Yu-Ping Ning
Frontiers in Psychiatry December 22, 2022 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2022.1033019 via DOAJ
Summary
AI-generated from the abstractAfter six intravenous injections of 0.5 mg/kg ketamine, both patients with melancholic depression (30 individuals) and those with non-melancholic depression (105 individuals) showed similar improvement in anhedonic symptoms. The antianhedonic response rate was 43.3% in the melancholic group versus 50.5% in the non-melancholic group, a difference that was not statistically significant. Remission rates were also similar: 20.0% and 21.0%, respectively. By day 26, the melancholic group had significantly lower anhedonia scores on the Montgomery–Åsberg Depression Rating Scale compared to the non-melancholic group. Ketamine appears equally effective for reducing anhedonia in both melancholic and non-melancholic depression.
Study at a glance
| Characteristics | Observational cohort Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 135 |
| Population | Patients with melancholic and non-melancholic depression |
| Intervention | Ketamine |
| Dose | 0.5 mg/kg |
| Duration | Six intravenous infusions, assessed at day 26 |
| Topics | Depression Ketamine |
| Keywords | Clinical trial Melancholia Response |
| Citations | 4 |
| Key finding | Ketamine produced similar antianhedonic effects in patients with melancholic and non-melancholic depression, with no significant difference in response or remission rates. |
Abstract
ObjectivesMelancholic depression may respond differently to certain treatments. The aim of this study was to compare the antianhedonic effects of six intravenous injections of 0.5 mg/kg ketamine in patients with melancholic and non-melancholic depression, which remain largely unknown.MethodsIndividuals experiencing melancholic (n = 30) and non-melancholic (n = 105) depression were recruited and assessed for anhedonic symptoms using the Montgomery–Åsberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS). The presence of melancholic depression was measured with the depression scale items at baseline based on DSM-5 criteria.ResultsA total of 30 (22.2%) patients with depression fulfilled the DSM-5 criteria for melancholic depression. Patients with melancholic depression had a non-significant lower antianhedonic response (43.3 vs. 50.5%, t = 0.5, p > 0.05) and remission (20.0 vs. 21.0%, t = 0.01, p > 0.05) to repeated-dose ketamine infusions than those with non-melancholic depression. The melancholic group had significantly lower MADRS anhedonia subscale scores than the non-melancholic group at day 26 (p < 0.05).ConclusionAfter six ketamine infusions, the improvement of anhedonic symptoms was found in both patients with melancholic and non-melancholic depression, and the efficacy was similar in both groups.