Key Takeaways

Ketamine isn’t effective in treating depression, new clinical trial results indicate

Ketamine did not provide any extra benefit among people with depression

The placebo effect might explain why ketamine has shown promise in other studies, researchers say

TUESDAY, Oct. 28, 2025 (HealthDay News) — Ketamine might not be effective in treating depression, new clinical trial results reveal.

Ketamine infusions added to standard depression care did nothing for people hospitalized with the mood disorder, researchers reported Oct. 22 in JAMA Psychiatry .

“Our initial hypothesis was that repeated ketamine infusions for people hospitalized with depression would improve mood outcomes. However, we found this not to be the case,” senior researcher Declan McLoughlin , a research

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