Nitrous oxide as an adjunctive therapy in major depressive disorder: a randomized controlled double-blind pilot trial
Brazilian Journal of Psychiatry February 18, 2021 Mara C. Guimarães, Tiago M. Guimarães, Jaime E. C. Hallak et al. 41 citations
In a small pilot trial, adding nitrous oxide (N2O) to ongoing antidepressant treatment for major depressive disorder produced significantly greater improvement in depressive symptoms than placebo (100% oxygen). After four weeks of twice-weekly 60-minute sessions, depression scores on the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale dropped from an average of 22.58 to 5.92 in the N2O group, compared with a drop from 22.44 to 12.89 in the placebo group. Most participants receiving N2O met criteria for response (91.7%) and remission (75%). Common side effects included nausea, vomiting, and headache. The results suggest N2O may be a useful augmentation strategy for treatment-resistant depression.