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

NCT ID NCT02122562

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.

Disclaimer Read more

This is a summary of the original study . Summaries may miss details or leave out important information. Before applying or accepting participation, make sure you have read and understood the full study. Curemydisease.com takes no responsibility whatsoever for anything missed, misunderstood, or acted upon as a result of our summary — we know it does not capture everything.

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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.

Contacts and locations

Study contacts

  • Contact

    Phone: •••-•••-•••• Email: •••••@•••••

  • Contact

    Phone: •••-•••-•••• Email: •••••@•••••

Locations

  • University of Iowa Health Care

    RECRUITING

    Iowa City, Iowa, 52242, United States

    Contact Phone: •••-•••-•••• Email: •••••@•••••

    Contact Phone: •••-•••-•••• Email: •••••@•••••