To the Editor: There has been recent interest in the use of ketamine as anesthesia for ECT because of its low anticonvulsant effects and possible reduction of cognitive side effects (1). Ketamine, a noncompetitive N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) glutamate receptor antagonist, has also been shown to have putative antidepressant effects (2–4). The following case serves to highlight the possible antidepressant effects of ketamine in a patient who unintentionally received an induction dose alone during two failed ECT sessions.
