Depression is a mood disorder that affects millions of people worldwide. It is characterized by feelings of sadness, hopelessness, and a lack of interest in activities that were once pleasurable.

While there are many treatments available for depression, they often come with unwanted side effects, and many people do not respond well to them. However, there is now a clinically tested nasal spray that is showing promise as a new treatment for depression. In this article, we will explore what this nasal spray is, how it works, and what the clinical trials have to say about its effectiveness.

What is the Clinically Tested Nasal Spray?

The clinically tested nasal spray is a drug called esketamine. Esketamine is a derivative of ketamine, a drug that has been used as an anesthetic since the 1960s. However, in recent years, ketamine has also been found to have antidepressant properties.

Esketamine is a more potent form of ketamine and is designed to be used as a nasal spray for the treatment of depression in patients who have not responded to other treatments.

How Does the Nasal Spray Work?

Like ketamine, esketamine works by increasing the levels of a neurotransmitter called glutamate in the brain. Glutamate is involved in regulating mood and cognition, and it is thought that increasing its levels can help alleviate symptoms of depression.

Esketamine is also believed to have a rapid onset of action, meaning that it can start to work within hours or days of the first dose.

Clinical Trials on Esketamine

Several clinical trials have been conducted on esketamine for the treatment of depression. One of the most significant trials was a phase III clinical trial conducted by the pharmaceutical company Janssen.

The trial involved 227 patients with treatment-resistant depression who were randomly assigned to receive either esketamine or a placebo nasal spray twice a week for four weeks. The results of the trial showed that the patients who received the esketamine nasal spray had a significantly greater improvement in their symptoms of depression compared to those who received the placebo nasal spray.

Another study published in the journal JAMA Psychiatry also showed promising results for esketamine.

The study involved 67 patients with treatment-resistant depression who were randomly assigned to receive either esketamine or a placebo nasal spray twice a week for four weeks. The results of the study showed that the patients who received the esketamine nasal spray had a significant reduction in their symptoms of depression compared to those who received the placebo nasal spray.

Side Effects of the Nasal Spray

Like all medications, esketamine can cause side effects. The most common side effects reported in the clinical trials were dissociation (feeling detached from one’s surroundings), dizziness, nausea, and headache.

However, these side effects were generally mild to moderate in severity and resolved within a few hours of administration of the drug. Importantly, there were no serious adverse events reported in the trials, and no patients discontinued treatment due to side effects.

Who is Eligible for Treatment with the Nasal Spray?

The nasal spray is currently approved for the treatment of adults with treatment-resistant depression. Treatment-resistant depression is defined as depression that has not responded adequately to at least two different antidepressant treatments.

Patients who are eligible for treatment with the nasal spray must undergo a comprehensive evaluation by their healthcare provider to determine if it is an appropriate option for them.

The Role of the Nasal Spray in the Future of Depression Treatment

The development of the esketamine nasal spray is a significant advancement in the treatment of depression. It provides a new option for patients who have not responded to other treatments and may help to reduce the burden of this debilitating condition.

However, it is important to note that the nasal spray is not a cure for depression, and it should always be used under the guidance of a healthcare provider.

As with all new treatments, there are still many questions to be answered about the long-term safety and efficacy of the nasal spray.

Additionally, the high cost of the treatment may be a barrier for some patients, as the drug is currently only available through a restricted distribution program.

Conclusion

The clinically tested nasal spray esketamine is an exciting new treatment option for patients with treatment-resistant depression. The drug works by increasing the levels of glutamate in the brain, which can help alleviate symptoms of depression.

Clinical trials have shown that the nasal spray has a rapid onset of action and can significantly improve symptoms of depression in patients who have not responded to other treatments. While the nasal spray does have some side effects, they are generally mild to moderate in severity, and no serious adverse events were reported in the trials.

However, it is important to note that the nasal spray is not a cure for depression, and it should always be used under the guidance of a healthcare provider.