Ketamine's effects on the body's natural opioid system
Official title: Enhancement of the endogenous opioid system by ketamine
Funded at Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai · NIH-11323513 · Data updated 2026-11-12
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.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (New York, United States) |
| Project start | July 1, 2023 |
| Project end | April 30, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $557,202 |
| NIH project number | 5R01DA058681-04 |
| Project ID | NIH-11323513 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal participants would include people with treatment-resistant major depressive disorder, chronic pain, or opioid use disorder who might be considered for ketamine-related therapies.
✕Less likely to help
People without these conditions or those who cannot receive ketamine due to medical contraindications are unlikely to benefit directly from participation.
What this research studies
Researchers will examine how ketamine interacts with the body's own opioid peptides and receptors to produce both rapid (minutes to hours) and longer-lasting (days to weeks) effects. The work combines laboratory experiments on opioid receptor function with measurements taken after ketamine exposure to track molecular and functional changes. Findings will link short-term actions to sustained changes that could explain ketamine's benefits for mood and pain.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could point to safer, more targeted treatments for depression, chronic pain, and opioid use disorder by harnessing the body's own opioid system.
How similar studies have gone: Clinical research has shown ketamine can rapidly relieve depression and some pain, but using the opioid system to explain or improve those effects is a newer and still-developing area.
Where this research is happening
-
Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai
New York, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Devi, Lakshmi a — Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai
- Study coordinator: Devi, Lakshmi a
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
-
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.
-
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.
-
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.
-
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.
-
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.
-
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.
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.