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Clinical trial patient says ketamine treatment for bipolar depression changed his life
The trial found repeated low-dose infusions eased symptoms for more than 35% of participants and did not trigger mania, psychosis or suicidality.
- A University Health Network clinical trial published Wednesday in JAMA Psychiatry found ketamine infusions reduced depressive symptoms for more than 35 per cent of participants, compared with fewer than 12 per cent in the control group receiving benzodiazepine medication.
- Psychiatrists previously excluded bipolar patients from ketamine treatment due to fears of triggering mania, but Dr. Joshua Rosenblat reported the infusions did not trigger mania, psychosis, or suicidality in trial participants.
- Greg Rennie, a 61-year-old with bipolar depression for 30 years, participated in the UHN trial and described feeling dissociated during his 40-minute infusion, eventually realizing the experience helped him visualize his depression.
- Patients require maintenance sessions because symptoms returned after stopping infusions; most provincial health insurance in Canada does not cover treatment, costing patients $500 per session or $4,200 for a full cycle.
- Despite addiction concerns following Matthew Perry's death, research indicates most patients using ketamine for depression are not at high risk, with experts noting legitimate clinical infusions differ significantly from illicit use.
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Ketamine Showed Antidepressive Effects in Refractory Bipolar Depression
(MedPage Today) -- Adjunctive ketamine showed significant antidepressive effects in patients with treatment-resistant bipolar depression in a small randomized trial. Among 63 adult outpatients with treatment-resistant bipolar I or II depression...
·New York, United States
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The Toronto Star+21 Reposted by 21 other sources
Clinical trial patient says ketamine treatment for bipolar depression changed his life
TORONTO - Greg Rennie says his bipolar depression was an eight out of 10 when he went in for his first ketamine infusion in April 2025.
·Toronto, Canada
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Ketamine treatment would have reduced the depressive symptoms of a part of patients with bipolar disorder, according to the results of a clinical trial published on Wednesday in JAMA Psychiatry.
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Total News Sources24
Leaning Left12Leaning Right0Center10Last UpdatedBias Distribution55% Left
Bias Distribution
- 55% of the sources lean Left
55% Left
L 55%
C 45%
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