Ketamine has been used successfully as the sole medication for anesthesia in the setting of electroconvulsive therapy (ECT), and has more recently been studied as an adjunct agent in combination with propofol (the most commonly used anesthetic agent) to induce anesthesia for ECT. New literature postulates an anti-depressant effect of ketamine, which in ECT specifically may be helpful with regards to the overall goals of therapy (i.e. ECT indicated for severe or treatment-resistant depression).
Current research focusing on ketamine with respect to its anti-depressant effect suggests it may even represent an alternative to ECT. This study will seek to determine whether ketamine when used in low-doses as an adjunct to propofol-based anesthesia for ECT has anti-depressant effects and whether it influences the characteristics of recovery from anesthesia in the ECT setting (i.e. vital sign parameters such as blood pressure and heart rate, quality of recovery, etc.).
This is a proof-of-concept study to elucidate whether the use of low-dose ketamine as an adjunct to propofol-based anesthesia for electroconvulsive therapy has beneficial anti-depressant effects in a population of adults with major depressive disorder presenting for ECT.
Trial Details
Trial Number
Sponsors & Collaborators
University of California San FranciscoAt UCSF, there are two research teams dedicated to the study of psychedelics; the Neuroscape Psychedelic Division and the Translational Psychedelic Research Program.
National Institute of Mental Health
This company doesn't have a full profile yet, it is linked to a clinical trial.
Measures Used
Montgomery-Asberg Depression Rating ScaleA ten-item diagnostic questionnaire used to measure the severity of depressive symptoms in patients with mood disorders.