Cited by 81Treatment of Major DepressionElectroconvulsive Therapy StudiesTranscranial Magnetic Stimulation Studies

Oral ketamine for the treatment of pain and treatment-resistant depression

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Schoevers, Robert A., Chaves, Tharcila V., Balukova, Sonya M., Rot, Marije aan Het, Kortekaas, Rudie·2016·British Journal of Psychiatry

Abstract

Background: Recent studies with intravenous (i.v.) application of ketamine show remarkable but short-term success in patients with MDD. Studies in patients with chronic pain have used different ketamine applications for longer time periods. This experience may be relevant for psychiatric indications. Aims: To review the literature about the dosing regimen, duration, effects and side-effects of oral, intravenous, intranasal and subcutaneous routes of administration of ketamine for treatment-resistant depression and pain. Method: Searches in PubMed with the terms ‘oral ketamine’, ‘depression’, ‘chronic pain’, ‘neuropathic pain’, ‘intravenous ketamine’, ‘intranasal ketamine’ and ‘subcutaneous ketamine’ yielded 88 articles. We reviewed all papers for information about dosing regimen, number of individuals who received ketamine, number of ketamine days per study, results and side-effects, as well as study quality. Results: Overall, the methodological strength of studies investigating the antidepressant effects of ketamine was considered low, regardless of the route of administration. The doses for depression were in the lower range compared with studies that investigated analgesic use. Studies on pain suggested that oral ketamine may be acceptable for treatment-resistant depression in terms of tolerability and side-effects. Conclusions: Oral ketamine, given for longer time periods in the described doses, appears to be well tolerated, but few studies have systematically examined the longer-term negative consequences. The short- and longer-term depression outcomes as well as side-effects need to be studied with rigorous randomised controlled trials.

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Crossref · 10.1192/bjp.bp.115.165498

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  • Studies indicate that ketamine dependence is not frequently observed in chronic pain patients and depressed patients who receive daily ketamine dosages.

    “However, studies indicate that ketamine dependence is not frequently observed in either chronic pain patients and depressed patients who receive daily ketamine dosages (Blonk et al., 2010;Schoevers et al., 2016).”

    From Psychedelics for the treatment of depression, anxiety, and existential distress in patients with a terminal illness: a systematic review (2022) · cites this paper as Schoevers et al., 2016

    The Safety and abuse potential section says addiction or misuse were not described as side-effects in the pain studies, and the Discussion says such problems were not prominent in the reviewed depression and pain studies. The paper does not establish how frequently dependence occurred specifically among patients receiving daily doses; it also notes that few studies systematically examined longer-term consequences. Page numbers were not available in our copy. (LLM, conf=0.83)

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Authors
Schoevers, R. A., Chaves, T. V., Balukova, S. M., Rot, M. A. H., & Kortekaas, R.
Affiliations
University Medical Center Groningen (NL)
Corresponding author
Schoevers, Robert A.
Venue
British Journal of Psychiatry
Published
2016-02
Volume
208
Issue
2
Pages
108-113
ISSN
  • 0007-1250 (ISSN-L)
  • 1472-1465
OpenAlex
W2252387690
Cited by
81
References
82
Citations by year
2026: 6 · 2025: 9 · 2024: 5 · 2023: 4 · 2022: 6 · 2021: 10 · 2020: 12 · 2019: 7 · 2018: 10 · 2017: 6 · 2016: 6
FWCI
1.11
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • The British Journal of Psychiatry (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • University of Groningen research database (University of Groningen / Centre for Information Technology) (publishedVersion)
  • University of Groningen research database (University of Groningen / Centre for Information Technology) (submittedVersion)
Funders
Yale University
Topics
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Pharmacology › Treatment of Major Depression
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Psychiatry and Mental health › Electroconvulsive Therapy Studies
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Neurology › Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation Studies
Keywords
oral ketamine, treatment-resistant depression, chronic pain, neuropathic pain, route of administration, adverse effects, tolerability, antidepressant effects, analgesic effect
MeSH terms
Administration, Oral, Analgesics, Antidepressive Agents, Humans, Ketamine, Pain Measurement, Psychiatric Status Rating Scales, Treatment Outcome, Chronic Pain, Depressive Disorder, Treatment-Resistant

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