Katharina Buczek
A second group, which included patients who were also severely depressed, experienced minimal benefit.
Finally, the third group– whose patients were less depressed compared to the former two groups prior to treatment– experienced a gradual improvement in symptoms of depression.
And interestingly, people who struggled with severe depression and who also experienced a childhood history of trauma and abuse were most likely to respond quickly and powerfully to ketamine.
Although, the researchers are not yet sure why.
“This finding needs to be further and more carefully tested to better understand the potential role of trauma in treatment response to ketamine,” O’Brien said.
Still, the researchers do have a hunch, and it has to do with sensitization. Sensitization is when a person is repeatedly exposed to specific stimuli that they grow more sensitive to over time.
In turn, O’Brien believes that ketamine might work for certain depressed individuals by blocking sensitization effects.
“Ketamine may work as a barrier to prevent whatever stimulus is triggering the depression from having its effects,” he explained.
So, these findings are beginning to illuminate how people who underwent childhood trauma and abuse respond to ketamine.
It is important to note, though, that not all of these individuals should be prescribed ketamine using only a blanket recommendation.
As for how you can obtain ketamine infusions for depression, this option should only be explored if you have tried first-line treatments and they were not effective in symptom relief. But you can talk to your doctor to see if this option is right for you.
