Oral Esketamine as Alternative for Maintenance Electroconvulsive Therapy in Patients With Treatment-Resistant Depression: A Case Series.

Objectives: This study investigates repeated oral esketamine as a substitution strategy for maintenance electroconvulsive therapy (M-ECT) in eight patients with treatment-resistant depression (TRD).

Methods: In a 6-week dosing phase, esketamine was titrated from 0.5 or 1.

Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis: The Association Between Newer Generation Antidepressants and Insomnia in Children and Adolescents With Major Depressive Disorder.

Objective: To examine the association between newer generation antidepressants and insomnia as an adverse event (AE) in the treatment of children and adolescents with major depressive disorder (MDD).

Method: A systematic search was performed in major databases (inception to August 31, 2023) to retrieve double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomized controlled trials (RCTs) evaluating the safety of 19 antidepressants in the acute treatment (initial 6 to 12 weeks) of children and adolescents aged ≤ 18 years with MDD (primary analyses). RCTs in anxiety disorders and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) were retrieved from a recent meta-analysis and included in complementary analyses.

Demographic and clinical predictors of response and remission in the treatment of major depressive disorder with ketamine and esketamine: A systematic review.

Accumulating evidence supports the efficacy of (es)ketamine in the treatment of major depressive disorder (MDD), particularly treatment-resistant depression (TRD). Yet around 50% of the individuals with TRD do not respond to (es)ketamine. Elucidating predictors of response and remission could improve treatment outcomes at the individual level by defining subpopulations that are most likely to benefit from (es)ketamine.

Neurobiological mechanisms of antidepressant properties of psilocybin: A systematic review of blood biomarkers.

Psilocybin represents a novel therapeutic approach for individuals with major depressive disorder (MDD) who do not respond to conventional antidepressant treatment. Investigating the influence of psilocybin on the pathophysiological processes involved in MDD could enhance our neurobiological understanding of the presumed antidepressant action mechanism. This systematic review aims to summarize the results of human studies investigating changes in blood-based biomarkers of MDD to guide future research on potentially relevant analytes that could be monitored in clinical trials.

The relationship between electric field strength induced by electroconvulsive therapy and cognitive and antidepressant outcomes.

Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) is an effective treatment for depression but is often associated with cognitive side effects. In patients, ECT-induced electric field (E-field) strength across brain regions varies significantly due to anatomical differences, which may explain individual differences in cognitive side effects. We examined the relationship between regional E-field strength and change in verbal fluency score (i.

The role of the psychedelic experience in psilocybin treatment for treatment-resistant depression.

Objective: To determine the relationships between psilocybin dose, psychedelic experiences, and therapeutic outcome in treatment-resistant depression.

Methods: For treatment-resistant depression, 233 participants received a single dose of 25, 10, or 1 mg of COMP360 psilocybin (a proprietary, pharmaceutical-grade synthesized psilocybin formulation, developed by the sponsor, Compass Pathfinder Ltd.) with psychological support.

Quality of reporting on psychological interventions in psychedelic treatments: a systematic review.

Although studies of psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy are accumulating, there is no consensus regarding best practice of the psychotherapeutic component. In this systematic review, we summarised the quality of reporting on psychological interventions in research about psychedelic treatments. The design followed PRISMA guidelines and was preregistered in PROSPERO (CRD42022319221).

Psychiatrists effect on positive symptom severity and daily functioning during pharmacotherapy for first-episode psychosis patients.

Clinical outcomes after a first-episode of psychosis (FEP) are heterogeneous. Many patient-related factors such as gender and comorbidity have been studied to predict symptomatic outcomes. However, psychiatrist-related factors such as prescription behaviour and gender have received little attention.

Psychedelics as a potential treatment for tobacco use disorder: a systematic review.

Introduction: Despite considerable efforts, tobacco use disorder persists as a significant public health issue. The effectiveness of current smoking cessation therapies is limited, leading to a growing interest in alternative treatment approaches such as psychedelics.

Aim: The aim of this review is to evaluate the scientific evidence regarding the role of psychedelics in smoking cessation.

[Influence of the Islam on the perception of mental health problems: patient perspective and implications].

Background: Almost one million Muslims live in the Netherlands, and as first or second-generation migrants, they are at increased risk of developing psychiatric problems. There are barriers for using mental health care, partly due to cultural differences.

Aim: With this essay, we like to contribute to existing knowledge, aiming to improve mental health care to Muslims in the Netherlands.

Shared effects of electroconvulsive shocks and ketamine on neuroplasticity: A systematic review of animal models of depression.

Electroconvulsive shocks (ECS) and ketamine are antidepressant treatments with a relatively fast onset of therapeutic effects compared to conventional medication and psychotherapy. While the exact neurobiological mechanisms underlying the antidepressant response of ECS and ketamine are unknown, both interventions are associated with neuroplasticity. Restoration of neuroplasticity may be a shared mechanism underlying the antidepressant efficacy of these interventions.

Circadian markers as a predictor of response in the treatment of depression-A systematic review.

Despite many available treatment options for depression, response rates remain suboptimal. To improve outcome, circadian markers may be suitable as markers of treatment response. This systematic review provides an overview of circadian markers that have been studied as predictors of response in treatment of depression.

[Aftershocks; about the psychological consequences of gas extraction in Groningen].

Background: In recent decades, gas extraction in Groningen has led to a lot of material and immaterial damage, including much psychological suffering, which was ignored by policymakers for years. With the publication of the report of the Parliamentary Inquiry into Natural Gas Extraction in Groningen, this is recognized and suggestions are made to repair the damage caused in the broadest sense.

Aim: Description of current and expected psychological consequences, and research and treatment to be conducted focused on this specific regional phenomenon.

Change in brain activation after transcranial pulsed electromagnetic fields in treatment-resistant depression.

Background: Preliminary evidence suggests antidepressant effects of transcranial pulsed electromagnetic fields (tPEMF). However, the precise mechanism of action in the brain is still unknown. The aim of this study was to investigate the influence of tPEMF on brain activation in patients with treatment-resistant depression (TRD) by studying two processes that might be of particular interest in relation to the symptoms of depression: emotional processing and reward processing.

Patient perspectives and experiences with psilocybin treatment for treatment-resistant depression: a qualitative study.

Psilocybin is the most researched classic psychedelic for Treatment-Resistant Depression (TRD). While optimizing set and setting are considered essential for efficacy and safety, patient perspectives on these aspects have rarely been investigated. To address this knowledge gap, the current paper explored the experiences of 11 TRD patients (8 women, 3 men) participating in a double-blind randomized clinical trial with a single session of oral (1, 10 or 25 mg) psilocybin treatment.

Assessment of biomarker stability and assay performance parameters for medical diagnosis: a case study of diagnosis of major depressive disorder.

Assessing the stability profiles and assay performance of 24 biomarker assays in 32 biomarker/body fluid combinations identified as relevant for prediction of major depressive disorder. Combinations were tested for stability and assay performance with ELISA at different storage and freeze-thaw conditions in pooled samples of 40 patients. Stability and assay performance issues were found in almost all cases except three biomarkers in urine and three in serum.

A blended module (STAIRS) to promote functional and personal recovery in patients with a major depressive disorder in remission: study protocol of a concurrent mixed methods randomized controlled trial.

Background: Despite the availability of a wide variety of evidence-based treatments for major depressive disorder (MDD), many patients still experience impairments in their lives after remission. Programs are needed that effectively support patients in coping with these impairments. The program Storytelling and Training to Advance Individual Recovery Skills (STAIRS) was developed to address this need and combines the use of peer contact, expert-by-experience guidance, family support and professional blended care.

[About quakes and biorhythms; sleeping problems in the Groningen earthquake area].

Background: Gas extraction-induced earthquakes have been taking place in the province of Groningen , the Netherlands, for many years. These lead to damage to homes and other buildings. This damage, and the way in which claims are handled, leads to physical and mental health problems, including sleeping problems.