A new study conducted by Canadian experts concludes that the use of ketamine and esketamine, two well-known psychedelics, in the treatment of severe depression (major depressive disorder) and treatment-resistant depression can lead to a substantial improvement in patients’ quality of life.
The Effects of Ketamine and Esketamine on Measures of Quality of Life in Major Depressive Disorder and Treatment-Resistant Depression: A Systematic Review (2025). Available availablehere.
The findings, published in the Journal of Affective Disorders, the researchers drew on five studies that examined the relationship between the two psychedelic substances and indicators of quality of life, based on observations of a total of 1,688 patients aged 18 or older who had been diagnosed with major depressive disorder or treatment-resistant depression.
“To the best of our knowledge, this is one of the first systematic reviews to assess the link between quality of life and treatment with ketamine or esketamine in patients with major depressive disorder (MDD) or treatment-resistant depression (TRD),” wrote the study’s co-authors.
The study is signed by six researchers, members of the Brain and Cognition Discovery Foundation, the Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology and the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Toronto and the Mood Disorders and Psychopharmacology Unit at University Health Network.
What are the effects of ketamine and escetamine in the treatment of treatment-resistant depression?
The co-authors note that all the studies reviewed yielded statistically significant results, demonstrating an improvement in patients’ quality of life following treatment with psychedelics, specifically ketamine or esketamine. In conclusion, they emphasize the importance of advancing this research.
“Although the findings mentioned above may demonstrate that ketamine and escetamine can rapidly alleviate depressive symptoms and improve quality-of-life indicators in adults with major depressive disorder or treatment-resistant depression, further studies are needed to investigate the long-term effects of these drugs,” they note.
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