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Completed

NCT Number: NCT06138691

KET-RO Plus RO DBT for Treatment Resistant Depression

This pilot study will assess the safety and feasibility of intravenous (IV) ketamine combined with RO DBT in young adults with Treatment-Resistant Depression (TRD). In addition, this study will develop and utilize innovative methodological approaches to demonstrate the feasibility of precision medicine with this type of therapy.

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Key information

Age range

18 year–65 year

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Phase 1

Primary location

Washington University School of Medicine

St Louis, Missouri, 63110-1010, United States

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: No

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

Inclusion criteria

  • Males and females aged 18-65
  • Moderate to severe persistent depression [treatment resistant depression - TRD] (exhibiting 2+ unipolar major depression episodes (non-delusional) with prior treatment non-response to antidepressant or psychosocial treatment
  • Treatment-resistant depression: defined as unipolar major depressive disorder, non-delusional (diagnosed by SCID-5, Structured Clinical Interview for the DSM ) that persists despite ≥ 2 adequate antidepressant trials of different classes in the current episode; including at least one evidence-based second-line treatment in the current episode (including serotonin norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors, bupropion, tricyclics, monoamine oxidase inhibitors, or augmentation with an atypical antipsychotic, stimulant, bupropion, lithium, or Triiodothyroinine) higher proportion of OC (over controlled) words endorsed compared to UC (Under controlled) words on the Word Pairs Checklist
  • no current or past psychosis
  • English speaking
  • Able to attend in-person behavioral sessions and ketamine/therapy visits
  • Willingness to have RO DBT-A as only psychosocial treatment engaged in (medication treatment may continue-but see below for exclusion)

Exclusion criteria

  • Outside age range
  • Significant neurological condition (i.e., seizure, stroke, severe head injury) or mental retardation (IQ<70)
  • Current or recent substance use disorder, actively suicidal or homicidal (e.g., requires hospitalization)
  • Use of naltrexone, memantine or medication considered contraindicated with ketamine
  • Baseline systolic BP > 150 systolic or 90 diastolic at evaluation. Participants who initially present with elevated blood pressure may be re-assessed; and if needed, referred to their healthcare provider for hypertension management
  • Taking more than 2 adequately-dosed oral antidepressants
  • Inability to understand, speak and read English sufficiently
  • Not be pregnant or at risk of becoming pregnant
  • Medical conditions or medication usage that in the judgement of the investigators puts the patient at unreasonable safety risk
  • First degree relative with a psychotic diagnosis involving hallucinations, delusions, or disorganized thinking and speech (e.g. schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorder, etc)

Treatment and study plan

Ketamine Infusion plus RO DBT

Combination Product

The participant will receive 4 weeks of 0.5mg/kg intravenous ketamine given over 40 minutes, as is routinely done in ketamine treatment and four months of RO DBT treatment.

Primary outcomes

  1. Decrease in Depressive Symptoms

    Time frame: Approximately 5 months

    Decrease in depressive symptoms as assessed via the Montgomery and Asberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS), a clinician-interviewed assessment of depressive symtpoms. Scale ranges from 0-60 with higher scores indicating higher depression severity.

Secondary outcomes

  1. Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) of Depressive and Anxiety Symptoms

    Time frame: Completed immediately following individual ketamine sessions during 4 weeks of ketamine-assisted RO DBT

    Visual analogue sliding scale (0-100) of self-reported ratings of feeling "depressed" or "anxious" in the moment, with higher scores indicating higher depression or anxiety. This visual analogue scale was administered three times: pre-ketamine, 40 minutes post-ketamine and 90 minutes post-ketamine. Reported below is the average rating across all ketamine sessions across the 4 weeks at the 90 minute post-ketamine reported. Units of measure are on the 0 to 100 scale.

  2. Reward Positivity (RewP)

    Time frame: Immediately post-treatment (approximately 5 months since baseline)

    The Reward Positivity (RewP) is an electroencephalogram (EEG) based event related potential (ERP) and neural marker of reward responding. During the "Doors Task", a commonly used task to elicit the RewP, participants can win money or lose money when opening doors. The RewP is calculated as the electrical signal in response to winning at electrode Cz on the scalp minus the electrical signal in response to losing at electrode Cz between the timepoints 250-500ms. Thus, it is a difference score of win minus loss response to assess reward response and is measured via microvolts with higher scores indicating a stronger neural response to reward. It will examine change mid-treatment (Post Ketamine) and post treatment. Post-treatment RewP scores reported below.

  3. Error-related Negativity (ERN)

    Time frame: Immediately post-treatment (approximately 5 months since baseline)

    The erorr-related negativity (ERN) is an electroencephalogram (EEG) based neural marker of error monitoring measured via an event related potential (ERP). It is elicited via Go/No-go tasks where participants make 'correct' responses and 'error' responses. The ERN is calculated as the electrical signal in response to making an error response at Cz on the scalp minus the electrical signal in response to making a correct response at electrode Cz between timepoints 0-50ms. Thus, it is a difference score of error - correct neurla response to assess error or performance monitoring and is measured via microvolts with higher scores indicating a larger response to errors. It will examine change mid-treatment (post ketamine) and post-treatment. Post-treatment ERN scores reported below.

  4. Social Connectedness Scale- Revised (SCS-R)

    Time frame: Immediately post-treatment (approximately 5 months since baseline)

    The Social Connectedness Scale Revised (SCS-R) is a self-report that assesses interpersonal closeness with a range of scores from 20 to 120, with a higher total score indicating greater social connectedness. This measure will examine mechanistic change mid-treatment (post ketamine) and post-treatment; Post-treatment scores provided below.

  5. UCLA Loneliness Scale

    Time frame: Immediately post-treatment (approximately 5 months since baseline)

    The UCLA loneliness scale measure social connectedness (or lack of given it assesses perceived loneliness) via self-report with a range of 20 to 80 with higher scores indicating greater loneliness. This measure will examine mechanistic change mid-treatment (post ketamine) and post-treatment; Post-treatment scores provided below.

Other outcomes

  1. Temporal Experience of Pleasure Scale (TEPS)

    Time frame: Immediately post-treatment (approximately 5 months since baseline)

    The Temporal Experience of Pleasure Scale (TEPS) is a self-report behavioral assessment. This measure assesses anticipatory pleasure and consummatory or outcome pleasure of reward responding into a total score of reward responding, with scores ranging from 18 to 108 with higher scores indicating greater capacity for pleasure and reward. It will examine mechanistic change mid-treatment (post ketamine) and post-treatment; post-treatment scores reported below.

  2. Acceptance and Action Questionnaire--II (AAQ-II)

    Time frame: Immediately post-treatment (approximately 5 months since baseline)

    The Acceptanc and Action Qustionnaire-II (AAQ-II) is a self-reported beahvioral measure of psychological inflexibility with scores ranging from 7 to 49, with higher scores indicating greater psychological inflexibility. It will examine mechanistic change mid-treatment (post-ketamine) and post-treatment; post-treatment scores provided below.

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

Washington University School of Medicine

Other

Registry information

Official study title

Medication-assisted Psychotherapy: Using Ketamine-enhanced Radically Open Dialectical Behavior Therapy (RO DBT) to Target Neural and Behavioral Mechanisms of Action in Adults With Moderate to Severe Depression

Acronym: KET-RO

Important dates

Study start
2023
Primary completion
2025
Study completion
2025
First posted
Nov 18, 2023
Registry last updated
Mar 30, 2026

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

View the official ClinicalTrials.gov record (opens in a new tab)

This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.

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