Case Study Explores Ketamine’s Potential in Improving Quality of Life of Those with Comorbid Bipolar Disorder and Autism Spectrum Disorder
A recent case study conducted at the University of Florida tracked the progress of a 29-year-old man diagnosed with bipolar disorder, type 2 diabetes, and Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), who exhibited mood swings, suicidal ideation, and daily anger outbursts despite being medicated. The patient underwent ketamine-assisted psychotherapy, which involved six initial IV ketamine infusions followed by two booster infusions. This intervention led to noteworthy reductions in the patient’s anger outbursts, anxiety levels, suicidal tendencies, and depression scores. The authors report that their findings contribute to the sparse literature on ketamine treatment for individuals concurrently dealing with bipolar disorder and ASD, suggesting that ASD should not be a contraindication of IV ketamine therapy. This case study underscores the importance of further investigations to probe the potential of ketamine for improving the quality of life for individuals with comorbid bipolar disorder and ASD.
