Ketamine's secret: family history of alcoholism may boost antidepressant effects

NCT ID NCT02122562

Recruiting now Knowledge-focused Sponsor: Mark Niciu Source: ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

First seen Jun 24, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026 · Updated 2 times

Summary

This study explores why ketamine, a fast-acting antidepressant, works better in people with a family history of alcohol use disorder. Researchers will give a single low-dose ketamine infusion to 60 adults with treatment-resistant depression while scanning their brains with powerful 7T MRI. They aim to measure changes in brain chemistry and connectivity to understand the biological reasons behind the enhanced response.

What this could mean

Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only — not medical advice or a prediction.

Active substance: Ketamine
What this could lead to: If successful, this could help doctors personalize depression treatment by identifying who will benefit most from ketamine.
What could go wrong: This is a small, early-phase study (60 people) focused on understanding mechanisms, not proving effectiveness. Results may not apply to all depression patients.

This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.

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Conditions

The condition(s) this trial relates to.

alcohol abuse major depressive disorder

As listed by the trial registrant

The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.

ALCOHOLISM MAGNETIC RESONANCE IMAGING MAJOR DEPRESSION

Contacts and locations

Locations

University of Iowa Health Care
RECRUITING

Iowa City, Iowa, 52242, United States

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