Nature Mental Health, Published online: 19 October 2023; doi:10.1038/s44220-023-00141-w
Numerous randomized placebo-controlled studies over the past two decades have shown that ketamine has a rapid antidepressant action. However, its acute transient effects on cognition and perception are likely to unmask study-arm assignment. Now, the use of surgical anesthesia to conceal treatment assignment finds high rates of rapid antidepressant response among participants, regardless of whether they are randomized to ketamine or placebo.