Music as an Adjunct to Ketamine Therapy for Chronic Pain (MusKiP)

This open-label, randomised crossover trial (n=25) will investigate the effects of intravenous (IV) ketamine (35mg/70kg over one hour) combined with different music conditions—self-selected music, therapist-selected music, or silence—on chronic noncancer pain.

Conducted at the Alan Edwards Pain Management Unit (AEPMU) at Montreal General Hospital and sponsored by McGill University, the study explores whether music can enhance the analgesic (pain-relieving) effects of ketamine.

Participants, all of whom are already prescribed repeated IV ketamine infusions for chronic pain, will undergo four sessions: a baseline treatment-as-usual session followed by three experimental sessions in a randomised order. During each infusion, participants will either listen to their own music, a curated playlist designed for psychedelic therapy, or remain in silence using noise-cancelling headphones. The researchers aim to assess changes in pain intensity, mood, sleep, anxiety, and cognitive flexibility using both quantitative tools and semi-structured interviews. By comparing these conditions, the study hopes to clarify the role of music in modulating the psychological and sensory dimensions of ketamine therapy and optimise protocols for individuals unresponsive to conventional pain treatments.

Topic Pain Music
Compound Ketamine
Country Canada
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McGill University
Psychedelic research is well underway at McGill University. At the Neurobiological Psychiatry Unit, researchers are assessing the effects of psychedelics at the behavioral, brain circuit, neuronal, and subcellular levels.

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