Annals of medicine
December 1, 2024
Alaa Abd-Elsayed, Cain W Stark, Natasha Topoluk et al.
41 citations
Complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS) is a rare but debilitating chronic pain condition with a complex and poorly understood pathophysiology, making diagnosis and treatment challenging. Diagnosis is by exclusion, and the Budapest diagnostic criteria have helped standardize definitions, but the underlying pathways remain unclear. Two types exist: CRPS type 1 (no neuronal injury) and type 2 (with neuronal injury). Management ranges from non-invasive therapies like physical and psychological therapy to invasive options such as dorsal root ganglion stimulation and amputation. Multimodal treatment is ideal, but more research is needed to understand CRPS development and to conduct robust clinical trials for therapies.
Psychopharmacology Bulletin
August 12, 2025
Dustin Latimer, Michael D. Stocker, Kia Sayers et al.
10 citations
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is common among U.S. veterans. Standard treatments include trauma-focused psychotherapies and antidepressant medications such as SSRIs and SNRIs. MDMA, a psychoactive compound classified as a Schedule I controlled substance since the 1980s, has reemerged as a potential therapy. Before prohibition, psychotherapists used it for various psychiatric conditions. Recent randomized, controlled trials support MDMA as an effective pharmacological adjunct to psychotherapy for PTSD.
Current pain and headache reports
January 7, 2025
Natalie H Strand, Madeline Whitney, Brooks Johnson et al.
9 citations
Chronic pain affects about 1.5 billion people worldwide and is a leading cause of disability. Conventional treatments like opioids and NSAIDs often cause adverse effects and limited long-term relief. This review examines psychedelics—psilocybin, LSD, and ketamine—as alternative therapies. These substances modulate pain through serotonergic and glutamatergic systems and may promote neuroplasticity. The review covers their pharmacologic actions, effects on cancer pain, migraines, and neuropathic pain, and clinical implications, highlighting the need for further research to validate efficacy and optimize use.
Current pain and headache reports
January 14, 2025
Alan D Kaye, Brynne E Tynes, Coplen D Johnson et al.
6 citations
Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS) is a chronic pain condition where pain is much greater than expected from the initial injury and lasts a long time. Many standard treatments have been unsatisfactory. Ketamine, a drug that blocks NMDA receptors and is normally used for anesthesia and pain relief, shows promise for CRPS patients who do not respond to usual therapies. Multiple studies report significant improvements in pain severity, limb mobility, and other measures after ketamine infusion. Side effects such as nausea, vomiting, headache, or psychotropic symptoms were uncommon and reversible by stopping the drug. More research is needed on optimal dosing and duration, but ketamine appears safe and effective for difficult CRPS cases. This review summarizes current knowledge on ketamine infusions for CRPS to help physicians weigh benefits and risks.
Current pain and headache reports
June 19, 2025
Elika D Javaheri, Christopher Wie, Stephen Covington et al.
3 citations
High-dose ketamine, used for conditions like Complex Regional Pain Syndrome, is linked to several adverse effects. Psychiatric symptoms such as agitation, anxiety, and sleep disturbances occur across oral, intravenous, and intranasal routes. Emesis is common and more frequent at higher doses. Hepatotoxicity is also common, dose-dependent, and usually transient. Uropathy is another potential adverse effect. When properly monitored in a hospital setting, high-dose ketamine appears safe, though practitioners should note that certain adverse effects are likely dose-dependent.
Psychopharmacology Bulletin
August 12, 2025
Priyanka Ghosh, Omar Viswanath
1 citation
A CNN article described a man with a 35-year history of severe refractory depression and suicidal ideation who was successfully treated with ketamine after failing numerous other medications. Seven placebo-controlled randomized clinical trials have shown beneficial effects of ketamine infusion therapy for refractory depression. However, ketamine therapy remains limited as an off-label use, with no large-scale randomized controlled trials demonstrating its safety or durability. Patient selection criteria are limited to major depressive disorder without psychotic features, with effects lasting up to one week. Evidence suggests other patients and repeated dosing could be beneficial, but clinical trials are lacking, and the FDA has not approved ketamine for psychiatric illness.