Ketamine helps clear treatment-resistant depressive symptoms

A ketamine-based nasal spray produces rapid improvement of depressive symptoms, according to new research published in the scientific journal JAMA Psychiatry.

The double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled study of 67 adults with a diagnosis of major depressive disorder examined the effects of esketamine, a component of the general anesthetic ketamine.

“Depression is the number one cause of disability worldwide,” remarked study author Ella J. Daly, a researcher at Janssen Pharmaceutical Companies.

“The development of a novel, safe and effective treatment for patients suffering from treatment-resistant depression (TRD) is a recognized significant unmet medical need,” Daly told PsyPost.