Nitrous oxide for the treatment of psychiatric disorders: A systematic review of the clinical trial landscape.
Acta psychiatrica Scandinavica August 1, 2022 Helen Liu, Jaimie Kerzner, Ilya Demchenko et al.
A systematic review of published studies and ongoing clinical trials on nitrous oxide (N2O) for psychiatric disorders identified five published articles, four of which focused on depression. Three randomized controlled trials (RCTs) for treatment-resistant depression and major depressive disorder suggest that N2O has preliminary feasibility with rapid-acting effects on depressive symptoms. Ten ongoing trials are exploring N2O for depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, bipolar disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and suicidal ideation. Typical treatment involves a single session of 50% N2O for 60 minutes, though 25% is also being tested. Larger-scale RCTs with repeated doses and follow-up beyond one month are needed to confirm efficacy and sustainability.