Ketamine blocks suicidal intentions in depressed people

(ANSA) – ROME, NOVEMBER 08 – A new study from Columbia University supports the benefits of ketamine in depressed people: the substance rapidly reduces symptoms of depression, can stop suicidal intentions and also improves the cognitive abilities of patients.

The study, published in the Journal of Clinical Psychiatry, looked at 78 people with severe depression and who had had suicidal thoughts within the previous 24 hours. One part of the patients was given intravenous ketamine (a method in the US not approved by the FDA but allowed off-label), the other half was given a sedative prescribed for anxiety and depression. Patients treated with ketamine showed a faster reaction to treatment and a greater increase in cognitive and reasoning skills.

These cognitive benefits, in some cases, occurred even without an equally significant improvement in depressive symptoms.

Study participants who responded positively to ketamine continued to benefit from the treatment for up to six weeks, combining the effects of ketamine with those of antidepressants.

Suicide is the third leading cause of death for people between the ages of 10 and 34 in the United States and the 10th leading cause of death. 90% of those who die from suicide, explained John Mann, first author of the study, suffer from a psychiatric illness and 60% had at least one severe depressive episode before a suicide attempt. Despite the evident improvements obtained with the use of ketamine, the researchers highlight the need for further investigation on the risks – currently unknown – of the repeated and prolonged use of this drug over time.

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