In America, nearly 4 percent of adults are affected by post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). While pharmacotherapeutic options are limited with regards to this condition, new research in the American Journal of Psychiatry provides insight into the use of ketamine for treating symptoms of PTSD.
According to researchers from the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai Hospital, repeated doses via intravenous of ketamine may significantly improve PTSD symptoms among adults.
During the study, ketamine was administered to 30 adult participants who met the criteria for chronic PTSD. Each participant received either six infusions of ketamine or midazolam, another form of anesthetic with no significant psychoactive properties.
Assessments were conducted on a weekly basis, measuring side effects arising from the treatment.
By the study’s conclusion, the results were clear: repeated administration of ketamine was suggested to be beneficial for reducing symptom severity of PTSD rapidly, with the effects lasting for several weeks.
No serious adverse events were documented throughout the study’s lifespan of administering ketamine infusions for PTSD patients.
“This randomized controlled trial provides the first evidence of efficacy of repeated ketamine infusions in reducing symptom severity in individuals with chronic PTSD,” the findings, as authored by Adriana Feder and her colleagues, state.
“Further studies are warranted to understand ketamine’s full potential as a treatment for chronic PTSD.”
