Improved implicit self-esteem is associated with extended antidepressant effects following a novel synergistic intervention.

Our findings suggest that changing implicit self-worth during a post-ketamine 'plasticity window' is one key mechanism whereby the novel ketamine+ASAT treatment combination exerts its antidepressant benefit, confirming the intended treatment target at the level of implicit cognition. Future studies should seek to further enhance the reliability of the biobehavioral intervention's impact on implicit cognition, as this mechanism appears linked to the intervention's enduring clinical benefits.