Could Laughing Gas Treat Your Depression?

Could laughing gas help to lower your depression? Otherwise known as ketamine, researchers at Washington University in St Louis, Mo., found that this mixture of nitrous oxide and oxygen helped ease the pain and anxiety oftentimes associated with certain behavioral disorders. 

For their research, the study authors worked to see if nitrous oxide, or a less addictive drug than ketamine with similar effects but less unforeseen side-effects, could help to provide the same relief.

For the study, researchers compared the effects of an hour of inhaled nitrous oxide on 20 patients who were depressed or had little help from a standard antidepressant.

Each participant had a session of laughing gas as well as a placebo that was spaced about a week apart. All participants' depressive symptoms were studied two hours following the session and then 24 hours later and a week later.

Researchers found that some patients reported that their symptoms had disappeared almost completely after receiving the nitrous oxide treatment. However, others showed only mild improvements while the placebo groups received no improvements at all.

Some study participants also noticed some side effects, ranging from nausea, headache or even added anxiety, in some cases.

More information regarding the findings can be seen via the journal Biological Psychiatry.

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