Laughing Gas for Depression? Data Are Promising

[madman]

Is nitrous oxide the next breakthrough for treatment-resistant depression, or do the subjective effects merely mask the symptoms?

F. Perry Wilson, MD, analyzes a new meta-analysis suggesting "laughing gas" could be a viable treatment for major depressive disorder. The discussion explores the pharmacological shift away from the monoamine hypothesis (SSRIs) toward the glutamate pathway, drawing comparisons to agents like ketamine and psilocybin. The video examines the biological plausibility of nitrous oxide, its effect on the default mode network, and the significant challenges researchers face regarding blinding in clinical trials involving psychoactive substances.




Chapters

00:00 - A Quiet Revolution in Depression Treatment
01:25 - Why Effective Agents Are Potential Drugs of Abuse
02:07 - Mechanisms of Ketamine and Psilocybin
03:07 - Nitrous Oxide: More Than Just Dental Work
04:46 - Reviewing the Data: 7 Randomized Trials
05:48 - The Challenge of Placebo Control
07:50 - Warnings Against Self-Treatment

 

[madman]

https://www.thelancet.com/journals/EBIOM/article/PIIS2352-3964(25)00467-0/fulltext

 

[madman]

Thread 'Nitrous Oxide: an emerging novel treatment for treatment-resistant depression'

Aug 17, 2022

Nitrous Oxide: an emerging novel treatment for treatment-resistant depression (2022)
Darin F. Quach, Victoria C. de Leon, Charles R. Conway


ABSTRACT

Stemming from the results of the historic STAR-D trial, it is evident that a significant subset of individuals (20–25%) with major depressive disorder (MDD) do not respond to conventional antidepressant medications. As a result, an emphasis has been placed on the development of novel therapeutics for MDD over the last two decades. Recently, substantial research efforts have been focused on the use of ketamine as an...

• madman
• nitric oxide; ketamine; depression
• Replies: 3
• Forum: When TRT Is Not Enough (ED, Libido, & More)