AUTHOR=Zheng Wei , Gu Li-Mei , Zhou Yan-Ling , Wang Cheng-Yu , Lan Xiao-Feng , Zhang Bin , Shi Hai-Shan , Wang Dan-Feng , Ning Yu-Ping 

TITLE=Association of VEGF With Antianhedonic Effects of Repeated-Dose Intravenous Ketamine in Treatment-Refractory Depression

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Psychiatry

VOLUME=12

YEAR=2021

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/psychiatry/articles/10.3389/fpsyt.2021.780975

DOI=10.3389/fpsyt.2021.780975

ISSN=1664-0640

ABSTRACT=<p><bold>Objectives:</bold> To first explore the role of plasma vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) concentrations in ketamine's antianhedonic effects, focusing on Chinese patients with treatment-refractory depression (TRD).</p><p><bold>Methods:</bold> Seventy-eight patients with treatment-refractory major depressive disorder (MDD) or bipolar disorder (BD) were treated with six ketamine infusions (0.5 mg/kg). Levels of anhedonia were measured using the Montgomery–Åsberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS) anhedonia item at baseline, day 13 and 26. Plasma VEGF concentrations were examined at the same time points as the MADRS.</p><p><bold>Results:</bold> Despite a significant reduction in anhedonia symptoms in individuals with treatment-refractory MDD (<italic>n</italic> = 59) or BD (<italic>n</italic> = 19) after they received repeated-dose ketamine infusions (<italic>p</italic> &lt; 0.05), no significant changes in plasma VEGF concentrations were found at day 13 when compared to baseline (<italic>p</italic> &gt; 0.05). The alteration of plasma VEGF concentrations did not differ between antianhedonic responders and non-responders at days 13 and 26 (all <italic>p</italic>s &gt; 0.05). Additionally, no significant correlations were observed between the antianhedonic response to ketamine and plasma VEGF concentrations (all <italic>p</italic>s &gt; 0.05).</p><p><bold>Conclusion:</bold> This preliminary study suggests that the antianhedonic effects of ketamine are not mediated by VEGF.</p>