Antidepressant effects of ketamine in depressed patients

Summary & key facts

In a small, carefully controlled study, researchers gave a single low dose of ketamine into a vein to people with major depression. Many people felt less depressed within hours, and the benefit lasted for several days after one treatment. The study was very small and short, so the results are promising but preliminary and need larger studies to know how well ketamine works long term and how safe it is over time.

Key facts:

• Researchers tested a single low, subanesthetic dose of ketamine given into a vein to people who were depressed.
• The study used a careful design where each person received ketamine at one time and a placebo at another, and neither the patients nor the raters knew which was given first.
• Many patients showed reduced depressive symptoms within hours after ketamine and had benefits that lasted for a few days after one dose.
• Some people had short-lived side effects such as feeling strange or disconnected while the drug was active, and these effects went away.
• The study included only a very small number of people, so its results are preliminary and cannot prove ketamine is a long-term antidepressant on its own.

Topics

Neurotransmitter Receptor Influence on Behavior Treatment of Major Depression Tryptophan and brain disorders

Categories

Health Sciences Medicine Pharmacology

Tags

Alternative medicine Anesthesia Antagonist Antidepressant Behavioural despair test Depression (economics) Developmental psychology Economics Glutamate receptor Hippocampus Internal medicine Ketamine Ketamine hydrochloride Macroeconomics Medicine NMDA receptor Pathology Pathophysiology Placebo Psychology Randomized controlled trial Rating scale Receptor Saline

Substances

Ketamine

Conditions & symptoms

Depression Sadness or low mood