Esketamine-Induced Dissociation: A Case Report.
Jake Scarcella, Jeffrey MacDaniels, Lucinda Coffin, Thomas Schwartz
Journal of psychoactive drugs November 10, 2024 DOI: 10.1080/02791072.2024.2424283 via PubMed
Summary
AI-generated from the abstractA 41-year-old woman with treatment-resistant depression experienced a severe dissociative episode with hallucinogenic-like effects after taking esketamine, even though the drug notably improved her depressive symptoms. This case highlights a rare but serious adverse event that clinicians should consider when prescribing esketamine. Understanding such risks is important for safe and effective use of this antidepressant.
Study at a glance
| Characteristics | Case report Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 1 |
| Population | 41-year-old female with treatment-resistant depression |
| Intervention | Esketamine |
| Topics | Esketamine |
| Keywords | Treatment-resistant depression trd Adverse effect ae #depression-treatment trd Therapy Antidepressant |
| Citations | 1 |
| Key finding | A patient with treatment-resistant depression developed a severe dissociative episode with hallucinogenic-like phenomena while taking esketamine, despite significant improvement in depressive symptoms. |
Abstract
Esketamine, the isolated S-enantiomer of ketamine, has been a recent breakthrough as a non-monoaminergic treatment for treatment-resistant depression (TRD). This case report explores a rare adverse event in a 41-year-old female with TRD, who, despite experiencing significant depressive improvement with esketamine, encountered a severe dissociative episode accompanied by hallucinogenic-like phenomena. While esketamine's efficacy in TRD is well-documented, this pronounced dissociation should be taken into consideration by researchers and clinicians before prescribing. As esketamine continues to aid TRD treatment, comprehension of its safety profile becomes essential for informed decision-making, ensuring optimized patient care in the vast development of antidepressant therapies.