A Study of Ketamine as an Antidepressant
Study Details
Study Description
Brief Summary
Recently, interest has emerged in the use of ketamine as an antidepressant. Recent placebo-controlled clinical trials administering a single dose and an open label trial giving repeated doses shown that ketamine is markedly superior to placebo at reducing depression, including in treatment-resistant patients, and that its antidepressant effects have a very rapid onset.
This clinical study consists of two phases. In Phase I, participants who satisfy inclusion criteria will receive ketamine at variable doses (0.1mg/kg-0.5mg/kg) or a placebo (saline, or 0.01mg/kg midazolam) once a week over up to 6 weeks. If participants qualify for Phase II, they will receive repeated sessions of ketamine at variable doses over three weeks. During both phases, mood, psychiatric, and neuropsychological outcomes will be measured.
| Condition or Disease | Intervention/Treatment | Phase |
|---|---|---|
|
Phase 2 |
Detailed Description
This clinical study consists of two phases. In Phase I, participants will receive variable doses of intravenous, intramuscular, or subcutaneous ketamine (0.1-0.5mg/kg) or placebo (saline, or 0.01mg/kg midazolam) weekly for up to 6 consecutive weeks. Prior to receiving ketamine/placebo, participants' mood and psychiatric symptoms will be assessed. Once they have received their treatment, mood, psychiatric side effects, ketamine blood levels, heart rate, blood pressure and biomarkers will be assessed. Mood and cognitive performance be assessed again after 4 hours. Finally, mood will also be assessed the next day.
Some participants may be eligible to continue to Phase II. In this phase, participants will receive doses of ketamine approximately weekly for up to 6 months. During this phase, participants' mood, psychiatric, biomarkers and cognitive outcomes will be assessed.
The purpose of the trial is to investigate the antidepressant and safety effects of using ketamine as a treatment in depression.
Study Design
Outcome Measures
Primary Outcome Measures
- Change from baseline on depression rating scales [Before, 4 hours after, and 24 hours after ketamine session]
Secondary Outcome Measures
- Psychiatric side effects (BPRS, CADSS) and memory tests [Cognitive battery done before and after 3 weeks; side effects measured immediately before and 4 hours after each ketamine session in both phases.]
Eligibility Criteria
Criteria
Inclusion Criteria:
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Satisfy DSM-IV-TR criteria for Major Depressive Episode
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18 years or over
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Able to give informed consent
Exclusion Criteria:
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Diagnosis of schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorder, rapid cycling bipolar disorder, or current psychotic symptoms
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Known sensitivity or contraindication to ketamine
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Recent drug abuse
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Pregnant
Contacts and Locations
Locations
| Site | City | State | Country | Postal Code | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wesley Hospital | Kogarah | New South Wales | Australia | 2217 |
Sponsors and Collaborators
- The University of New South Wales
- Wesley Mission
Investigators
- Principal Investigator: Colleen K Loo, MB BS FRANZCP MD, University of New South Wales
Study Documents (Full-Text)
None provided.More Information
Additional Information:
Publications
- aan het Rot M, Collins KA, Murrough JW, Perez AM, Reich DL, Charney DS, Mathew SJ. Safety and efficacy of repeated-dose intravenous ketamine for treatment-resistant depression. Biol Psychiatry. 2010 Jan 15;67(2):139-45. doi: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2009.08.038.
- Berman RM, Cappiello A, Anand A, Oren DA, Heninger GR, Charney DS, Krystal JH. Antidepressant effects of ketamine in depressed patients. Biol Psychiatry. 2000 Feb 15;47(4):351-4.
- Diazgranados N, Ibrahim L, Brutsche NE, Newberg A, Kronstein P, Khalife S, Kammerer WA, Quezado Z, Luckenbaugh DA, Salvadore G, Machado-Vieira R, Manji HK, Zarate CA Jr. A randomized add-on trial of an N-methyl-D-aspartate antagonist in treatment-resistant bipolar depression. Arch Gen Psychiatry. 2010 Aug;67(8):793-802. doi: 10.1001/archgenpsychiatry.2010.90.
- Larkin GL, Beautrais AL. A preliminary naturalistic study of low-dose ketamine for depression and suicide ideation in the emergency department. Int J Neuropsychopharmacol. 2011 Sep;14(8):1127-31. doi: 10.1017/S1461145711000629. Epub 2011 May 5. Retraction in: Int J Neuropsychopharmacol. 2017 Jul 1;20(7):611.
- Zarate CA Jr, Singh JB, Carlson PJ, Brutsche NE, Ameli R, Luckenbaugh DA, Charney DS, Manji HK. A randomized trial of an N-methyl-D-aspartate antagonist in treatment-resistant major depression. Arch Gen Psychiatry. 2006 Aug;63(8):856-64.
- HREC 10409