Serum brain-derived neurotrophic factor following oral esketamine in treatment-resistant depression: Results from a randomized placebo-controlled trial

This randomised placebo-controlled trial (n=54) in people with treatment-resistant depression tested six weeks of daily low-dose oral esketamine and found no greater rise in serum brain-derived neurotrophic factor than with placebo. BDNF increased over time in both groups, but this did not track with changes in depression symptoms or drug metabolites.