Blood biomarker changes and relationships after low dose oral ketamine treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)

Bonnie L. Quigley; Emerald Orr; Sophie Kafka; Maryam Hajishafiee; Ana P. Boucas; Nathan Wellington; Megan Dutton; Monique Jones; Fiona Randall; Jim Lagopoulos; Adem T. Can; Daniel F. Hermens

doi:10.1007/s00213-026-07043-6

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Blood biomarker changes and relationships after low dose oral ketamine treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)

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Blood biomarker changes and relationships after low dose oral ketamine treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)

Bonnie L. Quigley, Emerald Orr, Sophie Kafka, Maryam Hajishafiee, Ana P. Boucas, Nathan Wellington, Megan Dutton, Monique Jones, Fiona Randall, Jim Lagopoulos, …

Psychopharmacology, Vol.Advanced access

16-Mar-2026

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00213-026-07043-6

PMID: 41838077

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Abstract

BDNF

VEGF-A

cytokines

FKBP51

serotonin

biomarker

ketamine

PTSD

Thompson Institute Special Collection

Molecular Biology

Stress related disorders trauma

Rational Ketamine has been investigated as a treatment alternative for PTSD for the last 20 years, yet there have been limited reports of biological changes or biomarker characterisation related to treatment. Objectives To address this significant gap, this study analysed blood samples from 25 participants with PTSD who took part in an open-label 6-week trial of low dose oral ketamine treatment. Methods Serum and plasma samples were quantified before and after ketamine treatment for brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), vascular endothelial growth factor A (VEGF-A), serotonin, FK506 binding protein 51 (FKBP51) and a panel of cytokines (interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-2, IL-4, IL-6, IL-12p70, IL-17 A and tumour necrosis factor alpha (TNFα)). Results Analysis of BDNF and VEGF-A levels from serum detected a significant positive correlation between the two biomarkers and a small but statistically significant decrease in both measures after ketamine treatment. This novel finding reinforces theories that ketamine’s effects may rely on a reciprocal interaction between BDNF and VEGF-A, offering potential insights into a biological mechanism underpinning PTSD symptom reduction. Additionally, the analysis of FKBP51 and serotonin revealed novel relationships between these biomarkers and clinical scales, before and after ketamine treatment. Finally, significant changes or relationships involving the immune cytokines were not detected, possibly because half the participants presented with low-grade inflammation while the other half did not. Conclusions This study represents a much-needed broad analysis of blood biomarkers before and after ketamine treatment for PTSD and reveals important biological changes and relationships related to this treatment.

Details

Title: Blood biomarker changes and relationships after low dose oral ketamine treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
Authors: Bonnie L. Quigley (Corresponding Author) - University of the Sunshine Coast
Emerald Orr - University of the Sunshine Coast
Sophie Kafka - University of the Sunshine Coast
Maryam Hajishafiee - University of the Sunshine Coast
Ana P. Boucas - University of the Sunshine Coast
Nathan Wellington - University of the Sunshine Coast
Megan Dutton - University of the Sunshine Coast
Monique Jones - University of the Sunshine Coast
Fiona Randall - University of the Sunshine Coast
Jim Lagopoulos - Thompson Brain and Mind Healthcare (Australia)
Adem T. Can - University of the Sunshine Coast
Daniel F. Hermens - University of the Sunshine Coast
Publication details: Psychopharmacology, Vol.Advanced access
Publisher: Springer
DOI: 10.1007/s00213-026-07043-6
ISSN: 1432-2072
PMID: 41838077
Copyright note: This article is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License, which permits use, sharing, adaptation, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, as long as you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons licence, and indicate if changes were made. The images or other third party material in this article are included in the article’s Creative Commons licence, unless indicated otherwise in a credit line to the material. If material is not included in the article’s Creative Commons licence and your intended use is not permitted by statutory regulation or exceeds the permitted use, you will need to obtain permission directly from the copyright holder. To view a copy of this licence, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/.
Data Availability: The datasets for this study can be available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.
Grant note: This work wishes to acknowledge the Australian Commonwealth Government’s ‘Prioritizing Mental Health Initiative’ for funding support.
Organisation Unit: School of Health - Nursing; UniSC Clinical Trials Centre; Thompson Institute; Information Technology - Client Services; Student Services and Engagement; Centre for Bioinnovation
Language: English
Record Identifier: 991219492402621
Output Type: Journal article

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Collaboration types: Domestic collaboration
Web Of Science research areas: Neurosciences; Pharmacology & Pharmacy; Psychiatry