Ketamine and opioid receptors for fast OCD relief
Official title: Examining Mu Opioid Mechanisms of Ketamine's Rapid Effects in OCD
Funded at Stanford University · NIH-11172489 · Data updated 2026-11-12
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.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Stanford University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Stanford, United States) |
| Project start | August 23, 2023 |
| Project end | July 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $711,076 |
| NIH project number | 5R01MH133553-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11172489 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal participants are adults (21+) with obsessive-compulsive disorder, especially those who have not had a full response to serotonin reuptake inhibitors.
✕Less likely to help
People under 21, those without OCD, pregnant people, or patients with medical or substance-use conditions that make ketamine or opioid-blocker use unsafe may not be eligible or likely to benefit.
What this research studies
If you join, you may receive ketamine infusions and visits where an opioid blocker (naltrexone) is given to see how it changes the response. Researchers will collect brain scans and blood samples to track changes in frontostriatal circuits linked to OCD. Clinicians will rate symptoms before and after treatments to connect brain and blood changes with any symptom relief. The study focuses on adults with OCD, particularly those who had only partial or delayed benefit from serotonin reuptake inhibitors.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could lead to faster-acting treatments for OCD and help doctors know whether targeting mu-opioid receptors is a useful approach.
How similar studies have gone: Small clinical studies have shown ketamine can reduce OCD symptoms quickly, and research in depression suggests opioid receptors may matter, but using opioid blockers to pinpoint this mechanism in OCD is relatively new.
Where this research is happening
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Stanford University
Stanford, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Rodriguez, Carolyn I — Stanford University
- Study coordinator: Rodriguez, Carolyn I
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About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.