A new study has found that a low dose of nitrous oxide, commonly known as "laughing gas," may produce a rapid and temporary reduction in depressive symptoms in patients who do not respond to conventional treatments.
Laughing gas: A new hope for treating severe depression
The results of the study, conducted by researchers from the universities of Birmingham and Oxford, showed that inhaling a single dose of 50% of the gas led to a significant improvement within 24 hours in those suffering from severe depression, treatment-resistant depression, and bipolar depression.
Despite this rapid improvement, the study showed that the effects lasted for only about a week, suggesting that patients may need a longer treatment plan to ensure sustainable results.
Lead researcher Kieranpreet Gill of the University of Birmingham confirmed that the results represent "the best evidence available" of the gas's ability to produce short-term but clinically significant improvements, noting that it could form part of a new generation of rapid treatments for depression.
A simple and effective way to treat sadness and depression
The study also reviewed the side effects associated with the gas, which included nausea, dizziness, and headaches, but these were mild and quickly disappeared without the need for medical intervention.
The researchers confirmed that there are no major safety concerns when used in the short term, but more studies are needed to explore its long-term effects.
Commenting on the study, Professor Hamish McAllister-Williams of Newcastle University, who was not involved in the study, said the results were encouraging but insufficient, stressing the need for larger and more accurate trials before the gas can be approved as a treatment option.
It is worth noting that nitrous oxide has been used medically for years as an anesthetic to relieve pain in surgical and dental procedures, but it is also illegally exploited as a recreational drug. It is believed to affect glutamate receptors in the brain (proteins found on the surface of nerve cells in the brain), leading to changes in mood and emotional state.
The study was published in the journal eBioMedicine.
