Condition

Ketamine clinical trials and research

• 10Clinical trials
• 58NIH research projects
• 1New in 30 days
• 6Countries

Newest Ketamine clinical trials

All recruiting trials (10)

• Propofol-Ketamine vs Sevoflurane for anesthesia in kids undergoing heart catheterization

  In children needing a heart catheterization, doctors compare using propofol-ketamine versus sevoflurane to see which anesthesia approach is safer and helps kids wake up smoothly.

  Recruiting Phase 4 Rawalpindi Institute of Cardiology · Rawalpindi, Punjab Province · NCT07907796

• Lower vs higher ketamine doses to reduce the oculocardiac reflex in eye surgery

  A single-dose comparison tests whether 0.5 mg/kg IV ketamine works as well as 0.75 mg/kg IV for lowering the oculocardiac reflex in adults having eye surgery.

  Recruiting Cairo University · Cairo · NCT07708740

• Biomarker-guided antidepressant choice to see if rTMS or ketamine works best for you

  This study tests whether brain and behavior markers can help match people with major depression to either rTMS or ketamine to see which works better for them.

  Recruiting at 2 sites Phase 4 Weill Medical College of Cornell University · New York, New York and 1 other locations · NCT07680140

• Anesthesia methods, neuroprotection, and surgical field in FESS with controlled hypotension

  This trial tests whether four different anesthesia maintenance techniques — propofol-remifentanil, propofol-remifentanil with ketamine and magnesium, sevoflurane-remifentanil, and sevoflurane-remifentanil with ketamine and magnesium — better protect the brain and improve the surgical field in adults having FESS under c

  Recruiting University General Hospital of Patras · Pátrai, Achaia · NCT07181564

• Esketamine or Crisis Planning Added to Usual Care for Suicidality in Brazil

  This trial tests whether a single esketamine infusion or a single Crisis Response Planning session, added to enhanced treatment as usual, can reduce future suicide-related events in adolescents and adults in Indaiatuba, Brazil.

  Recruiting Phase 4 University of Sao Paulo · Indaiatuba, São Paulo · NCT07120477

• Combining Ketamine and Magnesium for Pain Relief After Nose Surgery

  This study is testing whether combining ketamine and magnesium during nose surgery can help reduce pain and lower the need for opioids afterward.

  Recruiting Ain Shams University · Cairo · NCT06966518

• Nebulized ketamine treatment for major depression in hospitalized patients

  This study is testing if breathing in ketamine can help people with moderate to severe depression feel better while they are in the hospital.

  Recruiting Phase 3 Maimonides Medical Center · Brooklyn, New York · NCT06752759

• Testing a new drug for treatment-resistant depression

  This study is testing a new drug called HNK to see if it can help people with treatment-resistant depression feel better when other medications haven't worked.

  Recruiting Phase 2 National Institutes of Health Clinical Center (CC) · Bethesda, Maryland · NCT06511908

• Understanding the impact of mood disorders and treatment responses

  This study is trying to learn more about how people with depression and bipolar disorder respond to treatment by talking to them weekly for up to 12 weeks to improve future care and predict how well medications might work.

  Recruiting National Institutes of Health Clinical Center (CC) · Bethesda, Maryland · NCT06462196

• Comparing high intensity ketamine with ECT versus ECT with ketamine anesthesia for treatment-resistant depression

  This study is testing if a new high intensity ketamine treatment combined with ECT can help people with treatment-resistant depression feel better faster and with fewer side effects compared to traditional ECT with ketamine anesthesia.

  Recruiting Phase 4 University of Saskatchewan · Saskatoon, Saskatchewan · NCT03272698

NIH-funded research (newest 40 of 58)

Early-stage science funded by the US National Institutes of Health. Most of these projects don't enroll patients, but they show what is being worked on.

• Ketamine to boost fear extinction and memory on PTSD patients

  A study testing whether ketamine can help people with PTSD better relearn and forget fear when given in a guided treatment plan.

  NIH research Yale University · New Haven, United States · NIH-11592530

• Automated self-acceptance training plus ketamine to extend antidepressant benefits

  A study tests whether adding a quick computerized self-positivity training after ketamine can prolong relief from depression for people seeking ketamine treatment.

  NIH research Texas A&m University Health Science Ctr · College Station, United States · NIH-11592105

• Ultrasound-triggered ketamine delivery to a brain region to treat chronic pain

  A Stanford team is testing a new way to give ketamine exactly where it’s needed in the brain to relieve chronic pain without opioids.

  NIH research Stanford University · Stanford, United States · NIH-11540446

• Ketamine-assisted care plan to help Veterans with chronic back pain and depression

  A program for Veterans with chronic low back pain and depression that uses ketamine infusions followed by a brief narrative therapy to sustain relief from pain and mood improvement.

  NIH research Veterans Health Administration · Ann Arbor, United States · NIH-11533116

• Ketamine to reduce postpartum depression and pain after cesarean delivery

  This grant explores a ketamine approach to help new mothers after cesarean delivery feel better sooner and with less pain.

  NIH research Utah State Higher Education System--University of Utah · Salt Lake City, United States · NIH-11509433

• IV ketamine vs morphine for acute pain in children

  A new comparison in kids with acute pain will test whether a low-dose IV ketamine works as well as IV morphine for pain relief and safety in the emergency department.

  NIH research Columbia University Health Sciences · New York, United States · NIH-11401174

• Ketamine’s Fast OCD Effects and the Mu-Opioid System

  A study at Stanford is exploring how ketamine quickly helps some adults with OCD and what role the mu-opioid system plays.

  NIH research Stanford University · Stanford, United States · NIH-11394611

• Synaptic changes behind ketamine’s quick relief of stress-related anhedonia

  Researchers are studying how a single low dose of ketamine rapidly eases anhedonia by changing brain connections, aiming to help people with treatment-resistant depression.

  NIH research Washington University · Saint Louis, United States · NIH-11380643

• Ultrasound-triggered ketamine release to target brain pain circuits

  Using focused ultrasound to release tiny amounts of ketamine directly in a specific brain area to relieve long-term chronic pain without opioids for people with persistent pain.

  NIH research Stanford University · Stanford, United States · NIH-11379707

• New Ways to Treat Depression with Ketamine-Related Medicines

  This research explores how parts of ketamine, called metabolites, might offer a faster and safer way to help people with major depression.

  NIH research University of Maryland Baltimore · Baltimore, United States · NIH-11367134

• Low-dose ketamine during methadone treatment for opioid use disorder

  A small clinical study will test whether very low doses of ketamine given during early methadone treatment can reduce opioid cravings and improve mood.

  NIH research University of Maryland Baltimore · Baltimore, United States · NIH-11352145

• Stress and mood swings in major depression: how daily stress and ketamine treatment could help prevent suicidal thoughts

  A research team is studying how everyday stress affects suicidal thoughts and negative feelings in people with major depression, and whether ketamine could help reduce this risk.

  NIH research New York State Psychiatric Institute Dba Research Foundation for Mental Hygiene, INC · New York, United States · NIH-11349213

• Ketamine and brain chemistry in preventing suicide in high-risk depression

  A large study will explore how ketamine affects brain chemistry and daily stress responses to help prevent suicide in people with severe depression.

  NIH research New York State Psychiatric Institute Dba Research Foundation for Mental Hygiene, INC · New York, United States · NIH-11349211

• A brief automated neurocognitive training to extend ketamine’s quick antidepressant effects

  This project tests a digital cognitive training tool designed to prolong the mood benefits after an IV ketamine dose in people with depression.

  NIH research University of Pittsburgh at Pittsburgh · Pittsburgh, United States · NIH-11345783

• AMPA receptors and ketamine: how they shape antidepressant responses in people

  This study tests whether the AMPA receptor pathway is essential for ketamine’s antidepressant effects in people with treatment-resistant depression.

  NIH research Yale University · New Haven, United States · NIH-11326712

• How ketamine is being prescribed, sold, and used by adults

  This project looks at how adults in the New York area get and use ketamine—both prescribed and recreationally—and how that links to harms like poisonings and seizures.

  NIH research New York University School of Medicine · New York, United States · NIH-11324255

• Ketamine-assisted mindfulness to help people on buprenorphine who keep relapsing

  This project tests whether adding ketamine to a mindfulness-based program (MORE) can help people on buprenorphine who continue to struggle with opioid use.

  NIH research University of California, San Diego · La Jolla, United States · NIH-11323785

• Ketamine's effects on the body's natural opioid system

  This project looks at how a single dose of ketamine changes the brain's natural opioid system in people with depression, chronic pain, or opioid use disorder.

  NIH research Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai · New York, United States · NIH-11323513

• Ketamine's effects on anhedonia and anxiety in depression explored with ultra-high-field brain imaging

  Researchers will study how specific brain circuits relate to anhedonia and anxiety in adults with depression using ultra-high-field MRI and ketamine-related insights.

  NIH research Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai · New York, United States · NIH-11311804

• Ketamine Add-On for Established Status Epilepticus Treatment

  A big government-funded study will test if adding ketamine to standard seizure treatment helps more patients recover from a dangerous brain emergency.

  NIH research University of Virginia · Charlottesville, United States · NIH-11262172

• Stress-related glutamate changes in the brain and ketamine for loss of pleasure

  This work looks at whether stress changes a brain chemical called glutamate in people with depression and whether ketamine can help reverse loss of pleasure.

  NIH research Emory University · Atlanta, United States · NIH-11248777

• How stress affects brain chemistry and treatment response in depression

  This study is looking at how long-term stress can make people lose interest in things they used to enjoy, which is a common issue for those with depression, and it aims to understand how changes in brain chemicals might explain this, so we can find better treatments for everyone affected.

  NIH research Emory University · Atlanta, United States · NIH-11218705

• Ketamine to boost memory reconsolidation and fear extinction in PTSD

  A study at Yale will test whether ketamine given around intensive exposure therapy helps people with PTSD learn to forget or reduce fear more effectively.

  NIH research Yale University · New Haven, United States · NIH-11195277

• IV low-dose ketamine versus IV morphine for treating children's sudden pain

  This project compares low-dose IV ketamine and IV morphine to relieve sudden moderate-to-severe pain in children and teens who come to the emergency department.

  NIH research Columbia University Health Sciences · New York, United States · NIH-11184435

• Ketamine and opioid receptors for fast OCD relief

  This project looks at whether ketamine gives rapid relief for adults with obsessive-compulsive disorder by acting through mu-opioid receptors, especially for people who haven't fully improved on standard serotonin medicines.

  NIH research Stanford University · Stanford, United States · NIH-11172489

• Improving the lasting effects of ketamine treatment for depression

  This study is looking at whether using intravenous ketamine along with brain training exercises can help people with depression feel better faster and keep those positive changes for longer.

  NIH research Baylor College of Medicine · Houston, United States · NIH-11140470

• Using ketamine and digital training to improve depression treatment

  This study is exploring how combining intravenous ketamine, which helps with depression quickly, with digital brain training can make those benefits last longer and help change negative thoughts into positive ones, so if you're dealing with depression, this could be a great opportunity for you to feel better.

  NIH research University of Pittsburgh at Pittsburgh · Pittsburgh, United States · NIH-11132825

• How ketamine can quickly reverse stress-related loss of pleasure

  This work looks at how a single low dose of ketamine can rapidly restore pleasure and motivation for people with stress-related depression.

  NIH research Washington University · Saint Louis, United States · NIH-11129906

• Using ketamine to help prevent chronic pain after surgery

  This study is looking at how ketamine can help reduce the chances of developing long-lasting pain after breast surgery, by easing immediate pain, anxiety, and depression, to help patients feel better overall after their operation.

  NIH research New York University School of Medicine · New York, United States · NIH-11092570

• Using ultrasound to activate ketamine for treating chronic pain without opioids

  This study is looking at a new way to help people with chronic pain by using sound waves to activate ketamine in the brain, aiming to ease the emotional struggles that come with pain and improve overall treatment, which could also help those dealing with opioid use issues.

  NIH research Stanford University · Stanford, United States · NIH-11090278

• Using ketamine to help mothers with depression and pain after cesarean delivery

  This study is looking at how ketamine can help new moms feel better by reducing postpartum depression and pain after a cesarean delivery, and it aims to find the best dose to improve their mood and manage pain safely.

  NIH research University of Pittsburgh at Pittsburgh · Pittsburgh, United States · NIH-11086759

• Investigating how ketamine affects depression through specific brain receptors

  This study is looking at how ketamine helps people with treatment-resistant depression by checking how a specific brain receptor works, and it involves patients getting ketamine while researchers measure changes in their brain activity to find better ways to treat depression.

  NIH research Yale University · New Haven, United States · NIH-11078769

• Investigating how ketamine affects depression-related symptoms using advanced MRI technology

  This study is looking at how ketamine helps people with depression feel better, especially when it comes to feeling joy and managing anxiety, by using advanced brain scans to see how certain parts of the brain work in adults with depression.

  NIH research Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai · New York, United States · NIH-11078253

• Using ketamine to enhance the body's natural pain relief system

  This study is looking at how ketamine, a medication often used for anesthesia, affects the body's natural pain and mood control system, with the goal of finding better treatments for chronic pain, depression, and issues with opioid use.

  NIH research Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai · New York, United States · NIH-11078223

• Exploring the use and effects of ketamine in medical and recreational contexts

  This study looks at how ketamine is being used for treating depression and as a recreational drug, focusing on its safety and effectiveness, so that patients can better understand its risks and benefits.

  NIH research New York University School of Medicine · New York, United States · NIH-11061801

• Using ketamine and mindfulness to help people with opioid use disorder

  This study is looking at whether combining ketamine with mindfulness techniques can help people with opioid use disorder who haven't had success with regular treatments, and we're inviting those who are struggling to join us in exploring this new approach.

  NIH research University of Utah · Salt Lake City, United States · NIH-11045218

• Using ketamine to enhance therapy for PTSD

  This study is looking at whether adding ketamine to Prolonged Exposure therapy can help people with PTSD feel better faster, especially for those who haven't found relief with standard treatments.

  NIH research Minneapolis VA Medical Center · Minneapolis, United States · NIH-11044043

• How ketamine affects brain mechanisms related to depression treatment

  This study is looking at how ketamine, a fast-acting treatment for depression, works in the brain to help people who haven't found relief with other medications, focusing on a special protein that helps brain cells grow.

  NIH research Emory University · Atlanta, United States · NIH-11023077

• Exploring Ketamine-Related Compounds for Depression

  This research looks at different forms of ketamine to find new, faster-acting ways to help people with major depression.

  NIH research University of Maryland Baltimore · Baltimore, United States · NIH-11018573

• Investigating how stress affects reward response and treatment with ketamine

  This study is looking at how long-term stress can make people with major depressive disorder lose interest in things they used to enjoy, and it aims to understand how a brain chemical called glutamate is involved, especially with the hope that ketamine might help improve these feelings.

  NIH research Emory University · Atlanta, United States · NIH-11003680

Related topics

Quick answers

How many Ketamine clinical trials are recruiting right now?

10, as of November 12, 2026. 1 of them was first registered in the last 30 days. We update this list each time we refresh our data from ClinicalTrials.gov.

Where are these trials running?

In 6 countries. The most sites are in United States (4 trials), Egypt (2 trials), Brazil (1 trial), Greece (1 trial), Canada (1 trial). Each study page lists its sites and which ones are recruiting.

What phases are they in?

Phase 4: 4, Phase 2: 1, Phase 3: 1. Trials with no phase listed are usually device, behavioural or observational studies.

How do I join one?

Open a study, check the "Is this trial a fit for you?" section, then contact the study team listed on the page. They will ask a few screening questions. Asking is free and does not commit you to anything. Talk it over with your doctor first.

Find the studies that fit you

A list is a starting point. Tell us your situation in your own words and we'll rank the studies that match and explain why. It's free and needs no account.

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