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Predictors of Ketamine's Effects in Depression

Jul 1, 2026 · Published in: CNS Drugs
Psychiatry / Psychopharmacology

Background Information

Identifying predictors for ketamine's antidepressant effects remains challenging.

Ketamine and esketamine are rapid-acting treatments for treatment-resistant depression, but identifying the best candidates for these therapies remains unclear. Most clinical and demographic variables showed no predictive value for response, though early treatment response and family history of substance use disorders showed potential as predictors. While the predictability of response to ketamine and esketamine remains limited, identifying potential factors can guide treatment personalization in treatment-resistant depression. Early response and family history of substance use may predict ketamine effectiveness.

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Authors: Syed OA, Sobolenko V, Nestor SM, Husain MI, Lipsman N, Alam F, Giacobbe P

Citation: Syed OA, Sobolenko V, Nestor SM, et al. Clinical Predictors of Antidepressant Effects of Ketamine and Esketamine in Treatment-Resistant Unipolar and Bipolar Depression: A Systematic Review. CNS drugs. 2026;40(7):949-972. doi:10.1007/s40263-026-01296-7

Article Links: PubMed · Journal / DOI

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The deep analysis for this article is pending full-text access. We only publish a full clinical breakdown once we have the complete paper, not just the abstract. The PubMed abstract is linked above in the meantime.