How Ketamine Infusion Therapy Can Treat Depression

How Does Ketamine Work?

The wide range of chemical processes that occur in the human brain are very complex and fully understanding them is something that neurobiologists spend their entire lives doing.

Treating Depression With Ketamine

Growing evidence shows that ketamine produces remarkable antidepressant effects. In 2000, Berman and colleagues were the first to demonstrate the rapid onset of antidepressant effects with an NMDA receptor antagonist. In their placebo-controlled, proof-of-concept, crossover study of 7 patients, a subanesthetic dose (0.5 mg/kg) of ketamine administered through a 40-minute infusion yielded significant antidepressant effects within hours and lasted several days. In a placebo-controlled, randomized crossover study by Zarate and colleagues in 2006, 12 out of 17 participants (71%) showed a more than 50% reduction in depressive symptoms within 24 hours of receiving ketamine. These same participants showed almost no change in symptoms following a placebo saline injection. A 1-week follow-up confirmed a sustained response in approximately one-third of participants. An additional three placebo-controlled, crossover studies examining ketamine’s effects on major depressive episodes associated with both major depressive disorder (MDD) and bipolar disorder showed very similar results: rapid, robust antidepressant effects persisting for at least several days to weeks following a single subanesthetic ketamine dose. More recently, research has indicated that a series of infusions produces more pronounced and longer lasting benefits. There have been over 100 independent clinical trials on ketamine treatment for depression. Their results consistently prove the efficacy of IV Ketamine Infusion Therapy with a 70% success rate or higher.

You can find out more about Ketamine Infusion Therapy here