Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41659188›Full record

ArticleFrontiers in psychiatry2025

Personalizing esketamine treatment in TRD and TRBD: the role of mentalization, cognitive rigidity, psychache, and suicidality.

Miriam Olivola, Filippo Mazzoni, Barbara Tarantino, Alessandro Guffanti, Matteo Marcatili, Monica Macellaro, Nicolaja Girone, Vassilis Martiadis, Fabiola Raffone, Tiziano Prodi and 5 more

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Frontiers in psychiatry, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 7 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
7citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
–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

7 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Article
  3. Article
  4. Review
  5. Article
  6. Article
  7. Review
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

15 authors.

Miriam OlivolaDepartment of Brain and Behavioural Sciences, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy.
Filippo MazzoniDepartment of Brain and Behavioural Sciences, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy.
Barbara TarantinoDepartment of Brain and Behavioural Sciences, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy.
Alessandro GuffantiDepartment of Brain and Behavioural Sciences, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy.
Matteo MarcatiliDepartment of Mental Health, Fondazione Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico (IRCSS) San Gerardo dei Tintori, Monza, Italy.
Monica MacellaroDepartment of Mental Health and Addiction Services, Azienda Socio Sanitaria Territoriale (ASST) Fatebenefratelli-Sacco, Milan, Italy.
Nicolaja GironeDepartment of Mental Health and Addiction Services, Azienda Socio Sanitaria Territoriale (ASST) Fatebenefratelli-Sacco, Milan, Italy.
Vassilis MartiadisDepartment of mental health , Azienda Sanitaria Locale (ASL) Naples 1 Centre, Naples, Italy.
Fabiola RaffoneDepartment of mental health , Azienda Sanitaria Locale (ASL) Naples 1 Centre, Naples, Italy.
Tiziano ProdiDepartment of Mental Health, University of Milan, Milan, Italy.
Natascia BrondinoDepartment of Brain and Behavioural Sciences, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy.
Giovanni MartinottiDepartment of Neuroscience, Imaging and Clinical Sciences, "G. D'Annunzio" University, Chieti, Italy.
Massimo ClericiDepartment of Mental Health, Fondazione Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico (IRCSS) San Gerardo dei Tintori, Monza, Italy.
Roberta AnnivernoDepartment of Mental Health and Addiction Services, Azienda Socio Sanitaria Territoriale (ASST) Fatebenefratelli-Sacco, Milan, Italy.
Bernardo Dell'OssoDepartment of Mental Health and Addiction Services, Azienda Socio Sanitaria Territoriale (ASST) Fatebenefratelli-Sacco, Milan, Italy.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Introduction: Treatment-Resistant Depression (TRD) remains a major challenge in the management of Major Depressive Disorder (MDD). Esketamine, the S-enantiomer of ketamine and a glutamatergic modulator, was approved by the FDA and EMA for TRD in 2019. Beyond its rapid antidepressant effects, esketamine may enhance neuroplasticity, facilitating the reconnection with emotional and cognitive processes, improving mentalization and social cognition, and promoting resilience. Objective: This prospective multicenter observational study aimed to evaluate esketamine's therapeutic impact on both depressive symptoms and key psychological factors-including mentalization, psychache, social cognition, suicidality, and cognitive-emotional rigidity-that could predict treatment response and enable a more personalized approach to TRD and TRBD management. Methods: Thirty-six treatment-resistant depressive episode patients, including TRD and TRB, treated with esketamine were assessed over a six-month follow-up period using psychometric measures of depression severity, suicidality, mentalization, social cognition, psychache, and cognitive-emotional rigidity. Results: A significant improvement in depressive symptoms was observed, as indicated by a reduction in Montgomery-Åsberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS) scores over time. Moreover, improvement was observed in different key psychological domains, such as mentalization, psychache, social cognition, suicidality, and cognitive-emotional rigidity. By six months, 69% of patients achieved remission, confirming a robust and sustained therapeutic response. Conclusions: These findings highlight the importance of a personalized treatment approach in treatment- resistant depressive episode patients. Esketamine may be particularly beneficial in reducing cognitive rigidity, improving mentalization, and breaking the cognitive inflexibility that contributes to sustained negative depressive thinking patterns. Further research is needed to refine patient stratification and optimize treatment strategies for individuals with treatment-resistant depressive episode patients.

Indexed as

cognitive rigidityesketaminemajor depressive disordermentalizationpsychachetreatment-resistant depression

Identifiers

PMID41659188
PMCPMC12872908

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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.