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

Who could benefit from this research

What this research studies

This project centers on Veterans who experience ongoing back pain and depression and follows them through ketamine treatment sessions. After the ketamine infusions, a narrative intervention helps patients organize their illness experience, aiming to extend benefits for pain and mood. The plan includes early testing and a small randomized trial to see if the storytelling approach supports lasting improvements. The approach prioritizes practical, patient-friendly care that could fit into real-world clinical settings for Veterans. If successful, it could inform future steps for integrating similar supportive care with ketamine treatment in routine practice.

Why it matters

Where this research is happening

• Veterans Health Administration
  Ann Arbor, United States Active

Researchers

• Principal investigator: Powell, Victoria Diane — Veterans Health Administration
• Study coordinator: Powell, Victoria Diane

Related research

Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.

• Using ketamine and storytelling to help Veterans with chronic low back pain and depression

  This study is looking at how combining ketamine infusions with storytelling therapy can help Veterans who are dealing with chronic low back pain and depression, aiming to improve both their pain and mood in a way that might work better for them than regular therapy.

  NIH research Veterans Health Administration · Ann Arbor, United States · NIH-10915879

• Savoring Meditation for Chronic Low Back Pain patients

  A study tests a brief mindfulness-based practice called Savoring Meditation to help people with chronic low back pain feel better emotionally and manage pain in daily life.

  NIH research University of Virginia · Charlottesville, United States · NIH-11465428

• Chronic Low Back Pain in Older Adults and Hip Impairments

  A study to help older adults with chronic low back pain, by looking at how hip problems affect their pain and function and testing tailored non-drug treatments.

  NIH research University of Delaware · Newark, UNITED STATES · NIH-11447991

• Mechanical signs from the spine’s discs that predict when back pain becomes long-lasting

  A Duke study aims to use new imaging and personal factors to see if the mechanical health of spinal discs can predict when acute low back pain becomes chronic.

  NIH research Duke University · Durham, United States · NIH-11446556

• Genetic predictors of recovery and surgical outcomes for Veterans with chronic low back pain and lumbosacral spine disorders

  This project uses VA health records and genetic information to find DNA markers linked to how Veterans fare with chronic low back pain and related spine conditions.

  NIH research VA Puget Sound Healthcare System · Seattle, United States · NIH-11446450

• Personalized multicomponent therapy for chronic low back pain using smart patient-based algorithms

  A U-Michigan-led effort tests a personalized approach to chronic low back pain by tailoring several treatments to individual patients using smart, data-driven decision rules.

  NIH research University of Michigan at Ann Arbor · Ann Arbor, United States · NIH-11418354

About this research

1. This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
2. Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
3. For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.