Other Mental Health Disorders

Martinotti et al. (2021) did A Review of the Current Literature on Therapeutic Potentials of Ketamine and Esketamine in Obsessive–Compulsive Disorder (OCD).  The anti-obsessional effects of ketamine and NMDA receptor antagonists do show therapeutic potential. However, studies appear to be heterogeneous, and comparative studies with conventional therapeutic strategies were not reported in the current literature. The current evidence is still not strong enough to recommend ketamine for clinical practice at this time. Current speculations are that the clinical effects may relate to the ketamine-induced mystical experiences rather than to a direct effect on NMDA receptors causing a transient increase in glutamate release. Future research is warranted to establish the parameters of ketamine’s efficacy. With larger clinical RCTs, a stronger argument can be made for future modifications of guidelines regarding patient care in this population.

 

Bandeira et al. (2022) conducted a systematic review on the use of ketamine in the treatment of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD). The current first-line treatments for OCD are behavioral therapy and serotonin reuptake inhibitors. However, recent studies suggest that glutamatergic neurotransmission contributes to the pathophysiology of OCD, and therefore, there is a need for new and more effective treatments. Ketamine, a potent N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor antagonist and glutamate modulator, is a possible alternative for OCD treatment. Although reported data have shown potential for fast onset of action and good tolerability of ketamine for OCD, the principal studies have only used single-session racemic ketamine treatments administered intravenously, and the results have been inconsistent. Furthermore, it is unclear whether racemic ketamine, S-ketamine, or R-ketamine is most effective in treating OCD, and only limited evidence suggests that a combination of ketamine and psychotherapy could benefit patients with OCD. To advance clinical practice, future randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trials are necessary.

 

In a narrative review, Keeler et al. (2021) explored the potential of ketamine as a treatment for adults with anorexia nervosa. The authors found ample theoretical background, supported by several potential mechanisms, which suggest that ketamine may be a viable treatment option for this population.

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See for more literature on Depression, Anxiety, Substance Abuse, Chronic Pain, Other Conditions.

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Other useful articles

• Randomized Controlled Crossover Trial of Ketamine in Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder: Proof-of-Concept (2013)

• Can Exposure-Based CBT Extend the Effects of Intravenous Ketamine in Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder? An Open-Label Trial (2016)

• Clinical utility of repeated intravenous ketamine treatment for resistant obsessive-compulsive disorder (2020)

• A longitudinal case series of IM ketamine for patients with severe and enduring eating disorders and comorbid treatment-resistant depression (2020)