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Kwaśny A, Kwaśna J, Wilkowska A, Szarmach J, Słupski J, Włodarczyk A, Cubała WJ. Ketamine treatment for anhedonia in unipolar and bipolar depression: a systematic review. Eur Neuropsychopharmacol 2024; 86:20-34. [PMID: 38917771 DOI: 10.1016/j.euroneuro.2024.04.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2024] [Revised: 04/16/2024] [Accepted: 04/21/2024] [Indexed: 06/27/2024]
Abstract
Ketamine, an N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor antagonist, is a racemic mixture of esketamine and arketamine used to treat unipolar and bipolar depression. Preliminary reports indicate that it may be beneficial for depressed patients reporting symptoms of anhedonia. In this systematic review we aim to assess and analyze the existing body of evidence regarding the therapeutic effects of ketamine on the domain of anhedonia. Electronic databases (PubMed, APA Psycinfo and Web of Science) were searched from inception to November 2023. Protocol was registered in PROSPERO under the identifier CRD42023476603. A total of twenty-two studies, including four randomized-controlled trials and eighteen open-label trials were included. All studies reported alleviation of anhedonia symptoms following ketamine or esketamine administration, regardless of the number of infusions. Several important limitations were included, first and foremost low number of placebo-controlled randomized-controlled trials. This review indicates a potential anti-anhedonic effect of ketamine in patients with depression. Several trials used neuroimaging techniques which confirm ketamine's effect on functional connectivity correlating with the improvement in anhedonia. Despite considerable variations in methodology and the specific brain regions investigated, these studies collectively point towards ketamine's neuroplastic effects in mitigating anhedonia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aleksander Kwaśny
- Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, Medical University of Gdańsk, 80-214 Gdańsk, Poland.
| | - Julia Kwaśna
- Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, Medical University of Gdańsk, 80-214 Gdańsk, Poland
| | - Alina Wilkowska
- Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, Medical University of Gdańsk, 80-214 Gdańsk, Poland
| | - Joanna Szarmach
- Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, Medical University of Gdańsk, 80-214 Gdańsk, Poland
| | - Jakub Słupski
- Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, Medical University of Gdańsk, 80-214 Gdańsk, Poland
| | - Adam Włodarczyk
- Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, Medical University of Gdańsk, 80-214 Gdańsk, Poland
| | - Wiesław Jerzy Cubała
- Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, Medical University of Gdańsk, 80-214 Gdańsk, Poland
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Więdłocha M, Marcinowicz P, Komarnicki J, Tobiaszewska M, Dębowska W, Dębowska M, Szulc A. Depression with comorbid borderline personality disorder - could ketamine be a treatment catalyst? Front Psychiatry 2024; 15:1398859. [PMID: 38742125 PMCID: PMC11089186 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2024.1398859] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2024] [Accepted: 04/15/2024] [Indexed: 05/16/2024] Open
Abstract
Borderline personality disorder (BPD) is diagnosed in 10-30% of patients with major depressive disorder (MDD), and the frequency of MDD among individuals with BPD reaches over 80%. The comorbidity of MDD and BPD is associated with more severe depressive symptoms and functional impairment, higher risk of treatment resistance and increased suicidality. The effectiveness of ketamine usage in treatment resistant depression (TRD) has been demonstrated in numerous studies. In most of these studies, individuals with BPD were not excluded, thus given the high co-occurrence of these disorders, it is possible that the beneficial effects of ketamine also extend to the subpopulation with comorbid TRD and BPD. However, no protocols were developed that would account for comorbidity. Moreover, psychotherapeutic interventions, which may be crucial for achieving a lasting therapeutic effect in TRD and BPD comorbidity, were not included. In the article, we discuss the results of a small number of existing studies and case reports on the use of ketamine in depressive disorders with comorbid BPD. We elucidate how, at the molecular and brain network levels, ketamine can impact the neurobiology and symptoms of BPD. Furthermore, we explore whether ketamine-induced neuroplasticity, augmented by psychotherapy, could be of use in alleviating core BPD-related symptoms such as emotional dysregulation, self-identity disturbances and self-harming behaviors. We also discuss the potential of ketamine-assisted psychotherapy (KAP) in BPD treatment. As there is no standard approach to the application of ketamine or KAP in individuals with comorbid TRD and BPD, we consider further research in the field as imperative. The priorities should include development of dedicated protocols, distinguishing subpopulations that may benefit most from such treatment and investigating factors that may influence its effectiveness and safety.
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Affiliation(s)
- Magdalena Więdłocha
- Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Health Sciences, Medical University of Warsaw, Pruszkow, Masovian, Poland
| | - Piotr Marcinowicz
- Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Health Sciences, Medical University of Warsaw, Pruszkow, Masovian, Poland
| | - Jan Komarnicki
- Leszek Giec Upper-Silesian Medical Centre of the Medical University of Silesia, Katowice, Poland
| | | | - Weronika Dębowska
- Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Health Sciences, Medical University of Warsaw, Pruszkow, Masovian, Poland
| | - Marta Dębowska
- Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Health Sciences, Medical University of Warsaw, Pruszkow, Masovian, Poland
| | - Agata Szulc
- Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Health Sciences, Medical University of Warsaw, Pruszkow, Masovian, Poland
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Johnston JN, Kadriu B, Kraus C, Henter ID, Zarate CA. Ketamine in neuropsychiatric disorders: an update. Neuropsychopharmacology 2024; 49:23-40. [PMID: 37340091 PMCID: PMC10700638 DOI: 10.1038/s41386-023-01632-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2023] [Revised: 05/08/2023] [Accepted: 06/01/2023] [Indexed: 06/22/2023]
Abstract
The discovery of ketamine as a rapid-acting antidepressant led to a new era in the development of neuropsychiatric therapeutics, one characterized by an antidepressant response that occurred within hours or days rather than weeks or months. Considerable clinical research supports the use of-or further research with-subanesthetic-dose ketamine and its (S)-enantiomer esketamine in multiple neuropsychiatric disorders including depression, bipolar disorder, anxiety spectrum disorders, substance use disorders, and eating disorders, as well as for the management of chronic pain. In addition, ketamine often effectively targets symptom domains associated with multiple disorders, such as anxiety, anhedonia, and suicidal ideation. This manuscript: 1) reviews the literature on the pharmacology and hypothesized mechanisms of subanesthetic-dose ketamine in clinical research; 2) describes similarities and differences in the mechanism of action and antidepressant efficacy between racemic ketamine, its (S) and (R) enantiomers, and its hydroxynorketamine (HNK) metabolite; 3) discusses the day-to-day use of ketamine in the clinical setting; 4) provides an overview of ketamine use in other psychiatric disorders and depression-related comorbidities (e.g., suicidal ideation); and 5) provides insights into the mechanisms of ketamine and therapeutic response gleaned from the study of other novel therapeutics and neuroimaging modalities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jenessa N Johnston
- Experimental Therapeutics and Pathophysiology Branch, National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA.
| | - Bashkim Kadriu
- Experimental Therapeutics and Pathophysiology Branch, National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
- Translational and Experimental Medicine, Neuroscience at Jazz Pharmaceuticals, San Diego, CA, USA
| | - Christoph Kraus
- Experimental Therapeutics and Pathophysiology Branch, National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Ioline D Henter
- Experimental Therapeutics and Pathophysiology Branch, National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Carlos A Zarate
- Experimental Therapeutics and Pathophysiology Branch, National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
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Zavaliangos-Petropulu A, McClintock SM, Joshi SH, Taraku B, Al-Sharif NB, Espinoza RT, Narr KL. Hippocampal subfield volumes in treatment resistant depression and serial ketamine treatment. Front Psychiatry 2023; 14:1227879. [PMID: 37876623 PMCID: PMC10590913 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2023.1227879] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2023] [Accepted: 09/11/2023] [Indexed: 10/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction Subanesthetic ketamine is a rapidly acting antidepressant that has also been found to improve neurocognitive performance in adult patients with treatment resistant depression (TRD). Provisional evidence suggests that ketamine may induce change in hippocampal volume and that larger pre-treatment volumes might be related to positive clinical outcomes. Here, we examine the effects of serial ketamine treatment on hippocampal subfield volumes and relationships between pre-treatment subfield volumes and changes in depressive symptoms and neurocognitive performance. Methods Patients with TRD (N = 66; 31M/35F; age = 39.5 ± 11.1 years) received four ketamine infusions (0.5 mg/kg) over 2 weeks. Structural MRI scans, the National Institutes of Health Toolbox (NIHT) Cognition Battery, and Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HDRS) were collected at baseline, 24 h after the first and fourth ketamine infusion, and 5 weeks post-treatment. The same data was collected for 32 age and sex matched healthy controls (HC; 17M/15F; age = 35.03 ± 12.2 years) at one timepoint. Subfield (CA1/CA3/CA4/subiculum/molecular layer/GC-ML-DG) volumes corrected for whole hippocampal volume were compared across time, between treatment remitters/non-remitters, and patients and HCs using linear regression models. Relationships between pre-treatment subfield volumes and clinical and cognitive outcomes were also tested. All analyses included Bonferroni correction. Results Patients had smaller pre-treatment left CA4 (p = 0.004) and GC.ML.DG (p = 0.004) volumes compared to HC, but subfield volumes remained stable following ketamine treatment (all p > 0.05). Pre-treatment or change in hippocampal subfield volumes over time showed no variation by remission status nor correlated with depressive symptoms (p > 0.05). Pre-treatment left CA4 was negatively correlated with improved processing speed after single (p = 0.0003) and serial ketamine infusion (p = 0.005). Left GC.ML.DG also negatively correlated with improved processing speed after single infusion (p = 0.001). Right pre-treatment CA3 positively correlated with changes in list sorting working memory at follow-up (p = 0.0007). Discussion These results provide new evidence to suggest that hippocampal subfield volumes at baseline may present a biomarker for neurocognitive improvement following ketamine treatment in TRD. In contrast, pre-treatment subfield volumes and changes in subfield volumes showed negligible relationships with ketamine-related improvements in depressive symptoms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Artemis Zavaliangos-Petropulu
- Ahmanson-Lovelace Brain Mapping Center, Department of Neurology, Geffen School of Medicine at the University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, United States
| | - Shawn M. McClintock
- Division of Psychology, Department of Psychiatry, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, United States
| | - Shantanu H. Joshi
- Ahmanson-Lovelace Brain Mapping Center, Department of Neurology, Geffen School of Medicine at the University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, United States
| | - Brandon Taraku
- Ahmanson-Lovelace Brain Mapping Center, Department of Neurology, Geffen School of Medicine at the University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, United States
| | - Noor B. Al-Sharif
- Ahmanson-Lovelace Brain Mapping Center, Department of Neurology, Geffen School of Medicine at the University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, United States
| | - Randall T. Espinoza
- Jane and Terry Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, Geffen School of Medicine at the University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, United States
| | - Katherine L. Narr
- Ahmanson-Lovelace Brain Mapping Center, Department of Neurology, Geffen School of Medicine at the University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, United States
- Jane and Terry Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, Geffen School of Medicine at the University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, United States
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Taraku B, Woods RP, Boucher M, Espinoza R, Jog M, Al-Sharif N, Narr KL, Zavaliangos-Petropulu A. Changes in white matter microstructure following serial ketamine infusions in treatment resistant depression. Hum Brain Mapp 2023; 44:2395-2406. [PMID: 36715291 PMCID: PMC10028677 DOI: 10.1002/hbm.26217] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/16/2022] [Revised: 12/30/2022] [Accepted: 01/12/2023] [Indexed: 01/31/2023] Open
Abstract
Ketamine produces fast-acting antidepressant effects in treatment resistant depression (TRD). Though prior studies report ketamine-related changes in brain activity in TRD, understanding of ketamine's effect on white matter (WM) microstructure remains limited. We thus sought to examine WM neuroplasticity and associated clinical improvements following serial ketamine infusion (SKI) in TRD. TRD patients (N = 57, 49.12% female, mean age: 39.9) received four intravenous ketamine infusions (0.5 mg/kg) 2-3 days apart. Diffusion-weighted scans and clinical assessments (Hamilton Depression Rating Scale [HDRS-17]; Snaith Hamilton Pleasure Scale [SHAPS]) were collected at baseline and 24-h after SKI. WM measures including the neurite density index (NDI) and orientation dispersion index (ODI) from the neurite orientation dispersion and density imaging (NODDI) model, and fractional anisotropy (FA) from the diffusion tensor model were compared voxelwise pre- to post-SKI after using Tract-Based Spatial Statistics workflows to align WM tracts across subjects/time. Correlations between change in WM metrics and clinical measures were subsequently assessed. Following SKI, patients showed significant improvements in HDRS-17 (p-value = 1.8 E-17) and SHAPS (p-value = 1.97 E-10). NDI significantly decreased in occipitotemporal WM pathways (p < .05, FWER/TFCE corrected). ΔSHAPS significantly correlated with ΔNDI in the left internal capsule and left superior longitudinal fasciculus (r = -0.614, p-value = 6.24E-09). No significant changes in ODI or FA were observed. SKI leads to significant changes in the microstructural features of neurites within occipitotemporal tracts, and changes in neurite density within tracts connecting the basal ganglia, thalamus, and cortex relate to improvements in anhedonia. NODDI may be more sensitive for detecting ketamine-induced WM changes than DTI.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brandon Taraku
- Department of Neurology, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Roger P Woods
- Department of Neurology, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, USA
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Michael Boucher
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Randall Espinoza
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Mayank Jog
- Department of Neurology, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Noor Al-Sharif
- Department of Neurology, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Katherine L Narr
- Department of Neurology, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, USA
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, USA
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