Can a single ketamine dose ease both pain and depression?

NCT ID NCT06317636

Ongoing Symptom relief Sponsor: Stanford University Source: ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

First seen Jun 25, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026 · Updated 1 time

Summary

This study tests whether a single dose of ketamine, given while patients are sedated, can reduce chronic pain and depression symptoms. Forty adults with both conditions will receive either ketamine or a placebo (saline) during sedation with propofol. Researchers will track pain and depression levels over several weeks to see if ketamine works better than placebo in this setting.

What this could mean

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

Active substance: Ketamine (given as an intravenous infusion during sedation)
What this could lead to: If it works, this could show that ketamine helps manage both chronic pain and depression when given under sedation, offering a new treatment option.
What could go wrong: This is a small, early-phase trial with only 40 participants, so results may not apply widely. The study is testing if placebo works as well as ketamine, so ketamine may not prove effective.

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Conditions

The condition(s) this trial relates to.

Chronic Pain chronic pain syndrome Depression depressive disorder

As listed by the trial registrant

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

CHRONIC PAIN DEPRESSION

Contacts and locations

Locations

Stanford University

Stanford, California, 94305, United States

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