ASSOCIATION OF NEUROFILAMENT LIGHT CHAIN WITH THE ANTIDEPRESSANT EFFECTS OF LOW-DOSE KETAMINE INFUSION AMONG PATIENTS WITH TREATMENT-RESISTANT DEPRESSION
Hui-Ju Wu, *Mu-Hong Chen, Wei-Chen Lin
The International Journal of Neuropsychopharmacology February 1, 2025 DOI: 10.1093/ijnp/pyae059.560 via OpenAlex
Summary
AI-generated from the abstractPeople with treatment-resistant depression have higher blood levels of neurofilament light chain (NFL), a marker of nerve cell damage, than healthy individuals. Among 71 patients with treatment-resistant depression randomly assigned to receive a single low-dose infusion of ketamine (0.5 mg/kg, 0.2 mg/kg) or placebo, higher baseline NFL concentrations were linked to worse depressive symptoms afterward, as measured by the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale. This suggests that NFL levels might help predict how well someone will respond to low-dose ketamine treatment for depression.
Study at a glance
| Characteristics | Randomized controlled trial Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 71 |
| Population | Patients with treatment-resistant depression |
| Interventions | Ketamine normal saline |
| Dose | 0.5 mg/kg, 0.2 mg/kg |
| Duration | 14-day follow-up |
| Topics | Depression Ketamine |
| Keywords | Antidepressant Depression economics Pharmacology |
| Key finding | Higher baseline neurofilament light chain concentrations were associated with higher subsequent depression scores after low-dose ketamine infusion. |
Abstract
Abstract Background The role of neurofilament light chain (NFL) in treatment-resistant depression (TRD) is unclear. Whether baseline NFL concentrations are associated with the antidepressant effects of low- dose ketamine infusion has not been determined. Methods The NFL concentrations of 71 patients with TRD and 17 healthy controls were assessed. Patients with TRD were randomly administered a single infusion of 0.5 mg/kg ketamine, 0.2 mg/kg ketamine, or normal saline. Depressive symptoms were assessed prior to infusion and sequentially at postinfusion timepoints (after 240 min and 2–7 and 14 days after infusion) using the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HDRS). Results After adjustment for age, sex, and body mass index, patients with TRD were more likely to have higher concentrations of NFL than healthy controls (p <0.001). A generalized estimating equation model with adjustments for infusion group, age, sex, body mass index, and baseline HDRS scores showed that baseline NFL concentrations were positively associated with subsequent HDRS scores following low-dose ketamine infusion (p = 0.038). Discussion Higher concentrations of NFL were observed among patients with TRD compared with healthy controls. Baseline NFL concentrations may predict the antidepressant effects of low-dose ketamine infusion. References 1.Chen et al. Int J Neuropsychopharmacol 25(2): 99-105. 2.Lin et al. Int J Neuropsychopharmacol. 2023 Jul 25;pyad045.