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Updated: Mar 23, 2026
04:29
Vagus Nerve Stimulation As an Adjunctive Neurostimulation Tool in Treatment-resistant Depression
Published on: January 7, 2019
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Ketamine for treatment-resistant depression: recent developments and clinical applications
Jaclyn Schwartz1, James W Murrough1, Dan V Iosifescu1
1Department of Psychiatry, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA.
Evidence-Based Mental Health
|April 8, 2016
Summary
Ketamine shows promise as a rapid antidepressant for treatment-resistant major depressive disorder (MDD). While short-term effects are generally manageable, long-term safety requires further investigation for clinical use.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Psychiatry
- Pharmacology
Background:
- Major depressive disorder (MDD) affects many, with a significant portion unresponsive to current treatments.
- Existing antidepressants often have delayed efficacy, highlighting an unmet need for faster-acting therapies.
- Ketamine, an anesthetic, has emerged as a potential rapid-acting antidepressant.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review recent developments in ketamine research for treating major depressive disorder.
- To focus on clinically relevant aspects of ketamine, including dosage, administration, and duration of effect.
- To discuss ketamine's efficacy in other conditions and its safety profile.
Main Methods:
- Review of recent scientific literature on ketamine's antidepressant properties.
- Analysis of clinical data regarding ketamine's effectiveness and safety.
- Synthesis of information on dosage, administration routes, and duration of effects.
Main Results:
- Ketamine demonstrates significant promise as a rapid-acting antidepressant for treatment-resistant unipolar MDD.
- Evidence suggests potential efficacy in bipolar depression, PTSD, and acute suicidal ideation.
- Observed neuropsychiatric, neurocognitive, and cardiovascular disturbances are typically short-lived.
Conclusions:
- Ketamine offers a promising therapeutic option for patients with treatment-resistant depression.
- Further research is crucial to clarify the long-term effects and optimal clinical application of ketamine.
- Information is provided for physicians regarding ketamine's emerging role in mental health treatment.
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