The Washington Post:
After a lifetime of profound depression, 25 years of therapy and cycling through 18 antidepressants and mood stabilizers, Hartman, then 46, had settled on a date and a plan to end it all. The clinical trial would be his last attempt at salvation. For 40 minutes, he sat in a hospital room as an IV drip delivered ketamine through his system. Several more hours passed before it occurred to him that all his thoughts of suicide had evaporated.

Nautilus:
Ketamine's remarkable effect bolsters a new theory of mental illness. Depression is the most common mental illness in the United States, affecting 30 percent of Americans at some point in their lives.

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is highly prevalent in the United States military forces, with rates as high as 31% and 20% for Vietnam War and Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) veterans, respectively. An estimated 50% of patients diagnosed with PTSD also present with chronic pain.

Low-dose ketamine infusions are both safe and significantly effective for patients with chronic pain, according to one of the largest real-world studies of its kind published today in Regional Anesthesia & Pain Medicine.

Led by researchers at Cleveland Clinic’s Neurological and Primary Care Institutes, the study analyzed data from over 1,000 patients, providing crucial evidence for this emerging treatment approach.

Highlights: Ketamine significantly improves depressive symptoms in bipolar patients, as assessed by the MADRS scale, indicating its potential efficacy. Over four weeks, ketamine reduces internal tension, sleep disturbances, and suicidal ideation in bipolar depression. Ketamine demonstrates a favourable safety and tolerability profile, even within complex polypharmacy regimens, suggesting its suitability.

BUFFALO, N.Y. — University at Buffalo neuroscientists have identified the binding site of low-dose ketamine, providing critical insight into how the medication, often described as a wonder drug, alleviates symptoms of major depression in as little as a few hours with effects lasting for several days.