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Anesthetic drug shows promise for tough depression in early trial

NCT ID NCT04680910

Symptom relief Sponsor: Washington University School of Medicine Source: ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

What the study statuses mean

This study's is highlighted.

Recruitment status, easiest to join first

Recruiting now
This trial is taking on new participants right now.
Not yet recruiting
Registered, but not yet taking participants.
By invitation only
Not open to general applications. Only people the study team invites can take part.
Paused
Paused for now. It may or may not start again.
Ongoing
Running, but no longer taking on new participants.
Completed This study
The trial has finished. Results may not be published yet.
Stopped early
Stopped early, before it reached the end. That can be for many reasons, including safety.
Cancelled
Cancelled before anyone took part.

Expanded access (not trials)

Expanded access
Not a trial. This treatment can be requested outside a study, case by case, for people who qualify.
Expanded access (paused)
Not a trial. The treatment can normally be requested outside a study, but is unavailable right now.
Expanded access (ended)
Not a trial. The treatment could once be requested outside a study, but no longer can.
Approved
The treatment has been approved, so it is available normally rather than through this programme.

When the status isn't known

Details not published
The full record has not been published yet, so there is little to show here.
Status unknown
This status has not been confirmed recently, so it may be out of date.

First seen Jun 27, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026

Summary

This early study tested whether a carefully controlled dose of propofol, a common anesthetic, could safely boost brain slow waves in 16 older adults with treatment-resistant depression. Participants received two propofol infusions days apart while researchers monitored brain activity and safety. The goal was to see if the drug could be given without serious side effects and whether it increased slow-wave activity during sleep, which is often low in depression.

What this could mean

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

Active substance
Propofol (an anesthetic drug)
What this could lead to
If it works, this could point toward a new way to treat depression that doesn't respond to standard medications.
What could go wrong
This is a very early, small trial with only 16 people. It mainly checks safety, not whether it actually helps depression. Propofol carries risks like breathing problems and low blood pressure.

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

Study facts

What this study's own registry entry says, in plain language.

Phase

Phase 1

The first testing in people. Mainly checks safety and dose, usually in a small group.

Participants

16 people

The number who actually took part.

Started

Jan 2021

Finished

Sep 2025

Lead sponsor

Other sponsor

The registry's catch-all category, for sponsors it does not file as a company, a government agency, or a research network.

Who can take part

This study's own entry requirements. Only the study team can say for certain whether you qualify.

Ages

60 years and older

Sex

Anyone

Healthy volunteers

Not accepted

This study is not open to healthy volunteers. The entry requirements below say who it is open to.

Show the full entry requirements

Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.

Inclusion Criteria: * Provision of signed and dated informed consent form * Stated willingness to comply with all study procedures and availability for the duration of the study * Age 60 or greater * English speaking (as an interpreter will not be readily available should a participant need to convey any safety concerns during the propofol infusion sessions or require guidance on conducting at-home sleep recordings) * Treatment-resistant Depression (non-responsive to at least two adequate trials of oral antidepressants for current episode). Exclusion Criteria: * Presence of symptomatic coronary artery disease * Presence of marked congestive heart failure/cardiomyopathy (NYHA \> Class III, LVEF \<40%, greater than mild RV systolic dysfunction) * Prior reaction to propofol * Resting heart rate \< 50 bpm * Treatment with Electroconvulsive therapy/Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation/vagal nerve stimulation within 6 weeks * Body mass index \> 35 * C-SSRS of 4 or greater (active suicidal ideation with some intent and with/without a specific plan) * MoCA score \< 23 (at least mild dementia) * Non-prescribed used of amphetamines, opioids, marijuana, cocaine, or phencyclidine * Intake of \> 14 beers/week (or equivalent) * Anesthetic exposure in the past 4 weeks * Concurrent use of benzodiazepines \> 2 mg/day lorazepam or equivalent, trazodone \> 50 mg/day, or gabapentin \> 600 mg/day.

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Conditions

The condition(s) this trial relates to.

Depressive Disorder, Treatment-Resistant major depressive disorder

As listed by the trial registrant

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

Treatment-resistant depression

Contacts and locations

Locations

  • Washington University School of Medicine/Barnes-Jewish Hospital

    St Louis, Missouri, 63110, United States

More trials for these conditions

Other studies related to the condition(s) this trial covers.