Ketamine Alcohol (in Treatment-Resistant Depression) (NCT02122562) | Clinical Trial Compass
RecruitingPhase 2
Ketamine Alcohol (in Treatment-Resistant Depression)
United States60 participantsStarted 2014-04-23
Plain-language summary
A single subanesthetic dose infusion of the N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor antagonist ketamine has rapid and robust antidepressant effects in patients with treatment-refractory major depressive disorder (TRD). A family history of an alcohol use disorder (Family History Positive, FHP) is one of the strongest identified predictors of an improved antidepressant response to ketamine. Like ketamine, alcohol is a functional NMDA receptor antagonist. FHP is associated with differential response to ketamine, e.g. blunted psychotomimetic side effects. One of the primary mechanistic hypotheses for ketamine's antidepressant action is the acute intrasynaptic release of glutamate from major output neurons, e.g. cortical pyramidal cells. Preliminary clinical studies have demonstrated this acute glutamate "surge" in response to subanesthetic dose ketamine. Based on these findings, the investigators hypothesize that ketamine's enhanced antidepressant efficacy in FHP TRD subjects is, at least in part, attributable to increased glutamate release relative to TRD subjects without a family history of alcohol use disorder (Family History Negative, FHN). To test this hypothesis, the investigators have designed a now two-site, open-label study of 18-55-year-old medically and neurologically healthy, currently moderately-to-severely depressed TRD patients. In total, the investigators plan to recruit 25 FHP and 25 FHN TRD subjects. All subjects must not have a current substance use disorder (except nicotine or caffeine). The experimental portion consists of two phases. The preliminary first phase is a medication taper (if needed) and psychotropic medication-free period. The experimental second phase comprises one subanesthetic dose (0.5mg/kg x 40 minute) ketamine infusion. The ketamine infusion will occur during 7T-magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), both resting-state functional MRI (rs-fMRI) and magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) to detect glutamate in the ventromedial prefrontal cortex/ventral anterior cingulate cortex (vmPFC/vACC). The primary outcome measure is group mean change in Montgomery-Ã…sberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS) score from pre-ketamine infusion (baseline) to one-week post-infusion, where the investigators observed ketamine's greatest antidepressant effect in FHP TRD. Additional outcome measures are vmPFC/vACC glutamate change in response to ketamine based on family history status. In summary, this study will provide key mechanistic information on ketamine's improved antidepressant efficacy in a biologically-enriched subgroup. This will contribute to the systematic development of more efficacious, personalized treatments for major depression in an effort to reduce its enormous public health burden.
Who can participate
Age range18 Years – 55 Years
SexALL
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Inclusion criteria
✓. 18 to 55 years of age.
✓. A level of understanding sufficient to agree to all required tests and examinations, sign an informed consent document and verify understanding by a score greater than or equal to 90% on the consent quiz.
✓. Diagnostic and Statistical Manual-4th Edition-Text Revision (DSM-IV-TR)) diagnosis of major depressive disorder (MDD), single-episode (296.30) or recurrent (296.20) without psychotic features based on clinical assessment and confirmed by a Structured Clinical Interview for the DSM-IV- Patient Version (SCID-P). Subjects must be experiencing a current major depressive episode of at least 2 weeks duration.
✓. Past failure of greater than or equal to one standard antidepressant trial based on the Antidepressant Treatment History Form (ATHF).
✓. MADRS score greater than or equal to 20 at baseline and the day of ketamine infusion.
Exclusion criteria
✕. Inadequate knowledge of family mental and substance use history, e.g. adoption.
✕. Current psychotic features or prior diagnosis of a DSM-IV-TR psychotic spectrum disorder, e.g. schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorder, bipolar I disorder with psychotic features, MDD with psychotic features, or bipolar disorder, e.g. bipolar I disorder without psychotic features, bipolar II disorder and bipolar disorder not otherwise specified (NOS).
✕. Current/active DSM-IV-TR substance use disorder (except for caffeine or nicotine dependence).
✕. Pregnant or nursing women or women of childbearing potential not using at least one medically accepted means of contraception (to include oral, injectable, or implant birth control, condom or diaphragm with spermicide, intrauterine devices (IUD), tubal ligation, abstinence or partner with vasectomy).
✕. Serious, unstable medical conditions/problems including hepatic, renal, gastroenterologic, respiratory, cardiovascular, endocrinologic, neurologic, immunologic, or hematologic disease, e.g. uncontrolled asthma, uncontrolled hyper/hypothyroidism or active cancer.
✕. Presence of any medical illness likely to alter brain morphology and/or physiology (e.g., hypertension, diabetes) even if controlled by medications.
✕. Subjects with one or more seizures without clear and resolved etiology and head injury with loss of consciousness for \> 5 minutes or requiring hospitalization.