Pharmacopsychiatry 2010; 43(1): 33-35
DOI: 10.1055/s-0029-1237375
Letter

© Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York

Oral Administration of the NMDA Receptor Antagonist S-Ketamine as Add-On Therapy of Depression: A Case Series

G. Paslakis1 , M. Gilles1 , A. Meyer-Lindenberg1 , M. Deuschle1
  • 1Central Institute of Mental Health, Dept. of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Mannheim, Germany
Further Information

Publication History

received 06.04.2009 revised 09.06.2009

accepted 08.07.2009

Publication Date:
11 December 2009 (online)

We intended to assess safety, response to treatment and time to response of 1.25 mg/kg oral S-ketamine as add-on to standard antidepressants in four depressed patients. Two patients with melancholic depression responded early and stayed in remission, while two patients with distinct somatic symptoms, chronicity or atypical features did not respond. The limited number of patients does not allow conclusions about efficacy. Oral S-ketamine was well tolerated and could merit being studied in randomised controlled trials due to its higher practicability compared to (S-)ketamine infusion therapy. Clinical subtyping should be considered.

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Correspondence

G. PaslakisMD 

Central Institute of Mental Health

J5

68159 Mannheim

Germany

Phone: +49/621/1703 3823

Fax: +49/621/1703 3825

Email: Georgios.Paslakis@zi-mannheim.de