Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39318021›Full record

Trial reportCurrent neuropharmacology2025

Comparison of the Antianhedonic Effects of Repeated-dose Intravenous Ketamine in Older and Younger Adults with Major Depressive Episode.

Wei Zheng, Limei Gu, Jianqiang Tan, Yanling Zhou, Chengyu Wang, Xiaofeng Lan, Bin Zhang, Zezhi Li, Yuping Ning

Abstract readComparative StudyClinical Trial
In one paragraph

Trial report in Current neuropharmacology, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Observational
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

9 authors.

Wei ZhengThe Affiliated Brain Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China.
Limei GuThe Affiliated Brain Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China.
Jianqiang TanThe Affiliated Brain Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China.
Yanling ZhouThe Affiliated Brain Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China.
Chengyu WangThe Affiliated Brain Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China.
Xiaofeng LanThe Affiliated Brain Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China.
Bin ZhangThe Affiliated Brain Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China.
Zezhi LiThe Affiliated Brain Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China.
Yuping NingThe Affiliated Brain Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China.

Funding

China International Medical Exchange Foundation Z-2018-35-2002Guangzhou Health Science and Technology Project 20211A011045Guangzhou Municiple Health Commission 2023C-TS26Guangzhou science and Technology Project of traditional Chinese Medicine and integrated traditional Chinese and Western medicine 20212A011018National Natural Science Foundation of China 82101609Natural Science Foundation Program of Guangdong 2023A1515011383Opening Foundation of Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Neurodegeneration, Nanjing Medical University KF202202Open Project Program of State Key Laboratory of Virtual Reality Technology and Systems, Beihang University VRLAB2022B02Science and Technology Planning Project of Liwan District of Guangzhou 202201012Science and Technology Program of Guangzhou 2023A03J0839, 2023A03J0436science and Technology Program Project of Guangzhou 202102020658Scientific Research Project of Guangzhou Bureau of Education 202032762Shanghai Key Laboratory of Psychotic Disorders Open Grant 21-K03
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectivesGrowing evidence suggests that repeated-dose intravenous ketamine in patients with depression had rapid antianhedonic effects. However, a comparison of the antianhedonic effects of repeated-dose intravenous ketamine between younger adults and older depressed patients has not been examined.

methodsTo the best of my knowledge, this study with a total of 135 patients with major depressive episodes (MDE) is the first to compare the antianhedonic effects between younger adult (n = 116) and older (n = 19) depressed patients receiving six ketamine infusions (0.5 mg/kg over 40 min). Montgomery- Åsberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS) was applied in this study to evaluate the clinical symptoms, and MADRS anhedonia item scoring was used to evaluate anhedonia symptoms.

resultsPatients received six open-label intravenous infusions of ketamine for 12 days. MADRS anhedonia subscale scores decreased in both younger (3.3, 95% CI = 2.5-4.1, p < 0.05) and older (2.8, 95% CI = 1.1-4.6, p < 0.05) MDE patients at 4h after the first infusion compared to baseline scores and the reduction was maintained over the subsequent infusion period in both groups (all Ps < 0.05). Younger MDE patients had lower MADRS anhedonia subscale scores on day 26 compared with older patients (P = 0.02). Compared with younger adult MDE patients, older patients had a lower antianhedonic response (51.7% [95% CI = 42.5%-61.0%] versus 31.6% [95% CI = 8.6%-54.6%)] and remission (24.1% [95% CI = 16.2%-32.0%] versus 0%).

conclusionThis study indicates that repeated-dose intravenous ketamine administration induces rapid and robust antianhedonic effects in older MDE patients. However, older MDE patients displayed less response to ketamine than younger adult MDE patients.

Indexed as

AnhedoniaAntidepressive AgentsKetamineMajor Depressive DisorderAdultAgedAge FactorsFemaleHumansInfusions, IntravenousMaleMiddle AgedPsychiatric Status Rating ScalesTreatment OutcomeYoung AdultAntidepressive AgentsKetamineanhedoniadepressionKetaminemajor depressive disorder.older adultsyounger adults

Identifiers

PMID39318021
PMCPMC11793042

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.