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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Oct 22, 2025

Electroconvulsive Seizures in Rats and Fractionation of Their Hippocampi to Examine Seizure-induced Changes in Postsynaptic Density Proteins

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Published on: August 15, 2017

Ketamine in depression and electroconvulsive therapy.

¹Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA.

Current Opinion in Anaesthesiology

|August 26, 2021

Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

Subanesthetic doses of ketamine and esketamine offer rapid antidepressant and antisuicidal effects by enhancing neuroplasticity. Further research is needed to confirm long-term efficacy and safety for depression relapse prevention.

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Area of Science:

Neuroscience
Psychiatry
Pharmacology

Background:

The antidepressant effect of subanesthetic ketamine has been known for two decades.
Current understanding points to enhanced neuroplasticity in brain regions like the cortico-limbic areas as the primary mechanism.

Purpose of the Study:

To review the antidepressant mechanisms of ketamine and esketamine.
To summarize clinical research on racemic ketamine and esketamine for depression treatment.

Main Methods:

Review of existing clinical research and basic science findings.
Analysis of studies investigating ketamine and esketamine for depression and electroconvulsive therapy.

Main Results:

Single doses of ketamine (0.5 mg/kg IV) or esketamine (intranasal) provide rapid antidepressant and antisuicidal effects within hours, lasting up to a week.
Repeated esketamine nasal spray may prevent depression relapse, though longitudinal data is limited.
Ketamine use in electroconvulsive therapy improves seizure quality and may reduce cognitive impairment.

Conclusions:

The rapid antidepressant effects of ketamine and esketamine are well-established.
Research into low-dose ketamine's mechanism has spurred new hypotheses on depression pathophysiology and a neurotrophic concept.
Longitudinal studies are essential to evaluate the long-term safety and efficacy of repeated ketamine administration for preventing depression relapse.