Treatment-resistant depression (TRD) is surprisingly prevalent, with 48% suffering from this form of depressive disorder, with clear negative consequences on their wellbeing and quality of life.

Diagnosed after a patient sees little to no improvement after trying two different antidepressents, in the UK 48% of patients with depression are eventually diagnosed with TRD.

It all sounds quite bleak, but in good news, researchers from the University of Oxford and the University of Birmingham – together with Birmingham and Solihull Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust – have collaborated on a novel approach.

And their proposed treatment pathway is controversial, but it shows promising results.

Their review, was recently published in the journal eBioMedicine, assessed global reports and trials in which nitrous oxide (otherwise known as ‘laughing gas’) was used to treat various depressive disorders.

And their results are promising for those who see little to no improvement with traditional antidepressants, as researcher Kiranpreet Gill explains in a statement:

“Depression is a debilitating illness, made even more so by the fact that antidepressants make no meaningful difference for almost half of all patients diagnosed with it. There is a growing body of research on repurposing treatments from other clinical domains to alleviate low mood. This study brings together the best possible evidence indicating that nitrous oxide has the potential to provide swift and clinically significant short-term improvements in patients with severe depression.”

In fact, the researchers concluded that clinically-administered nitrous oxide delivered in multiple doses over several weeks showed sustained improvements in mood for the participants, though a single treatment did not provide lasting relief.

The researchers conclude that further research and clinical trials are required before this pathway is recommended, however they note that – with the exception of some mild and temporary side effects, including nausea, headaches, and dizziness – there appeared to be no immediately apparent safety concerns.

With this in mind, nitrous oxide could one day be part of the plethora of treatment options that those with depression are able to be prescribed, as Gill continued:

“Our analyses show that nitrous oxide could form part of a new generation of rapid-acting treatments for depression. Importantly, it provides a foundation for future trials to investigate repeated and carefully managed dosing strategies that can further determine how best to use this treatment in clinical practice for patients who don’t respond to conventional interventions.”

And for those who suffer from TRD and other depressive disorders, this is promising news.

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