Ketamine's therapeutic potential: A literature review

The demand for alternative treatment for depressive disorders has increased in recent years. Our clinical understanding of treatment-resistant depression (TRD) has evolved, highlighting the need for different treatments to develop for this subgroup of depression. Treatment-resistant depression is defined as the absence of significant improvement in depressive symptoms despite standard therapy. Considerable improvement in depressive symptoms can seen in an improvement of functioning in everyday activities and a decrease in negative symptoms such as loss of interest, feelings of worthlessness, etc. Ketamine's rapid method of action has been shown to be notably beneficial for individuals with TRD. Research has proven its short-term efficacy compared to more traditional treatments such as electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) and first-line pharmaceuticals (i.e., Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors). However, more research needs to be done to examine the long-term effects and implications.