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The effects of ketamine on typical and atypical depressive symptoms
Author(s) -
Park L. T.,
Luckenbaugh D. A.,
Pennybaker S. J.,
Hopkins M. A.,
Henter I. D.,
Lener M. S.,
Kadriu B.,
Ballard E. D.,
Zarate C. A.
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
acta psychiatrica scandinavica
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.849
H-Index - 146
eISSN - 1600-0447
pISSN - 0001-690X
DOI - 10.1111/acps.13216
Subject(s) - psychology , placebo , ketamine , melancholic depression , rating scale , depression (economics) , depressive symptoms , major depressive disorder , bipolar disorder , psychiatry , clinical psychology , medicine , melancholia , lithium (medication) , cognition , developmental psychology , alternative medicine , economics , macroeconomics , pathology
Objective Ketamine's effects on different dimensions of depressive symptomatology, including typical/melancholic and atypical depression, remain largely unknown. This study examined the effects of a single intravenous dose of ketamine on general depressive symptoms (measured using the Montgomery–Asberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS), typical/melancholic symptoms (measured using the MADRS5), and atypical symptoms (measured using the Scale for Atypical Symptoms (SAS)). Methods Data from 68 participants with treatment‐resistant major depressive disorder (MDD) or bipolar depression were pooled from three separate, double‐blind, placebo‐controlled, crossover studies investigating ketamine's efficacy in depression. MDD participants were unmedicated; bipolar participants received therapeutic‐dose lithium or valproate. Clinical symptoms were collected preinfusion and up to 14 days postinfusion. Effect sizes were calculated for days 1 and 3 postinfusion. The primary measures of interest for this exploratory analysis were total MADRS, MADRS5, and SAS scores. Individual symptoms were also analyzed in an exploratory manner. Results Scores improved significantly at Day 1 postinfusion (MADRS: Cohen's d = 0.64; MADRS5: Cohen's d = 0.61; SAS: Cohen's d = 0.41) and continued to be significantly improved over placebo at Day 3 (MADRS: Cohen's d = 0.49; MADRS5: Cohen's d = 0.43; SAS: Cohen's d = 0.39). Effect sizes were greater for typical/melancholic than atypical symptoms at Day 1 postinfusion. Conclusion Ketamine appears to effectively treat both the typical/melancholic and atypical symptoms of depression, but may have early preferential effects for the former.