Abstract
The use of subanesthetic ketamine infusions in treatment resistant depression and bipolar depression is becoming more common. Subanesthetic doses of ketamine cause the patient to dissociate, which was initially considered a side effect of this treatment; it is believed to play a role in a patient’s clinical improvement. Researchers attribute this result to an increase in brain-derived neurotrophic factor, a growth factor that stimulates the formation of new synaptic connections. Due to its psychogenic affect, ketamine treatment is less suitable for patients who experience mood disorders with psychotic features. Although symptomatic hallucinations seemingly conflict with the dissociative effects of ketamine, treatment of a patient with depressive type schizoaffective disorder revealed significant improvements in his depressive symptoms, demonstrating ketamine’s potential to be safely administered to patients with a variety of complex disorders.
Highlights
Schizoaffective disorder is a chronic mental disorder characterized by psychotic symptoms such as delusions, visual and/or auditory hallucinations, as well as symptoms of either treatment resistant depression (TRD) or bipolar depression
Research demonstrates that ketamine stimulates the expression of brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), which is associated with its antidepressant effects [1]
At age 16 he was diagnosed with depressive type schizoaffective disorder as well as panic disorder, and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)
Summary
Schizoaffective disorder is a chronic mental disorder characterized by psychotic symptoms such as delusions, visual and/or auditory hallucinations, as well as symptoms of either treatment resistant depression (TRD) or bipolar depression. Due to the complex and potentially dangerous interactions between the psychotic symptoms of schizoaffective disorder and ketamine, there are few reported cases in which doctors safely have administered ketamine to treat the depressive symptoms of the disorder on a short term basis. This case discusses a patient in whom ketamine treatment safely improved. Additional research is needed to replicate these findings to gain a better understanding of the effects ketamine may have on patients with schizoaffective disorder This is a promising start, demonstrating ketamine’s ability to be safely administered to these patients
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