Skip to main content
OpenTrials
Completed

NCT Number: NCT01100255

Pilot Study of Ketamine in Adults With Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD)

In this study investigators are studying the effects of a drug called ketamine on the symptoms of Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD).

Completed

Looking for future studies?

Notify Me

Key information

Conditions

Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder Anxiety Disorders Mental Disorders

Age range

18 year–55 year

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Phase 2

Primary location

New York State Psychiatric Institute

New York, 10032, United States

About this study

Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is a common psychiatric illness that affects up to 2-3% of the population. People with OCD experience anxiety-provoking, intrusive thoughts, known as obsessions, and feel compelled to perform repetitive behaviors, or compulsions. The only medications proven effective for OCD are serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SRIs), but even with SRI treatment, most patients continue to experience significant OCD symptoms, impaired functioning, and diminished quality of life. Recent evidence suggest that a different neurotransmitter, glutamate, may contribute to the symptoms in OCD. Medications that target glutamate hold promise for ameliorating symptoms for those patients continuing to suffer from OCD. In this study the investigators are recruiting patients to receive the drug ketamine, which is thought to modulate the neurotransmitter glutamate through the N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA), in a 2-week placebo controlled study.

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: No

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

Inclusion criteria

  • Age 18-55
  • Physically healthy and not currently pregnant
  • Primary Diagnosis of OCD
  • Sufficient severity of symptoms
  • Able to provide consent

Exclusion criteria

  • Psychiatric conditions that make participation unsafe
  • Currently on psychotropic medication
  • Medical conditions that make participation unsafe
  • Allergy to ketamine
  • Any metal in the body

Treatment and study plan

ketamine infusion

Drug

0.5mg/kg IV over 40 minutes

Other names: Ketamine hydrochloride

Saline

Other

saline infusion

Primary outcomes

  1. Number of Patients Who Met and Exceeded Response Criteria of Yale-Brown Obsessive-Compulsive Scale.

    Time frame: 1 week

    Patients given YBOCS (Yale Brown Obsessive-Compulsive Scale), a gold standard measure of obsessions and compulsions. For the YBOCS the minimum units are 0 and Maximum units on the total scale are 40. The higher the number on the YBOCS, the more severe the symptoms. Response was defined as at least a 35% reduction on the YBOCS.

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

New York State Psychiatric Institute

Other

Registry information

Official study title

Understanding the Glutamate System in Adults With Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder With N-methyl-D Aspartate Antagonist Ketamine

Important dates

Study start
2010
Primary completion
2015
Study completion
2015
First posted
Apr 8, 2010
Registry last updated
Feb 20, 2017

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.

Related clinical trials

Published trials that share one or more normalized conditions with this study.