Ketamine for Veterans With Parkinson's Disease
Examining Ketamine Effects on Depression, Neuroplasticity, and Inflammation in Veterans With Parkinson's Disease
Who can join
As published by the study on ClinicalTrials.gov. "Not stated" means the study hasn't said — ask the study team.
- Age
- 40 Years to 80 Years
- Sex
- All sexes
- Healthy volunteers
- Not accepted
- Compensation
- Not stated
Other requirements are listed under Eligibility below. Only the study team can confirm whether you can join.
What to expect
No one can promise a trial will help you personally — that is what the research is trying to find out.
What participation involves
Not stated in the study description — ask the study team about visits and procedures.
- Compensation
- Not stated
- Study-related exams and procedures are typically provided at no cost. This is how many trials work in general — confirm the details for this study with the study team.
- Participants are monitored closely by the research team throughout the study.
- Some participants may receive access to an investigational treatment, which is still being studied.
- Your participation helps researchers learn whether this approach could help future patients.
About this study
In plain language
This study tests whether one dose of ketamine given through a vein (IV) can improve depression in U.S. Veterans with Parkinson's disease. It compares ketamine with a placebo, which has no active drug. Researchers will also study effects on inflammation and the brain's ability to adapt.
Parkinson's disease (PD) is a devastating illness that has a growing impact on Veterans. One of the most disabling symptoms is depression, which is common in PD and linked to poor quality of life and higher risk of suicide. Unfortunately, there is a lack of effective treatments for depression in PD. Ketamine, which has rapid and potent antidepressant effects, is a potential option but has not been tested in Veterans with PD. Studies in rodents show that ketamine may not only improve depression in PD, it may target two of the underlying drivers of the disease: (1) reduced neuroplasticity, or the brain's ability to adapt and remodel itself; and (2) elevated inflammation. The investigators are conducting a randomized, placebo-controlled study to examine if a dose of intravenous (IV) ketamine improves depression in Veterans with PD. The investigators will also examine ketamine's effects on neuroplasticity and inflammation, which will help us understand how ketamine works in PD and if it can be a useful treatment for Veterans with the disease. This study will lay groundwork for a larger clinical trial across multiple VA sites.
Compensation is read from the study's own description and may be missing — always confirm with the study team.
Eligibility
Who can join
- Be a U.S. Veteran age 40–80 who can understand the study and give written consent.
- Have Parkinson's disease with no known cause, diagnosed by a nerve and brain doctor at least 6 months ago.
- Have at least moderate depression, with a study rating score of 20 or higher, and have tried at least one depression medicine that did not help enough.
- Have taken all medicines on a steady schedule and dose for at least 2 months, with no planned changes during the study.
- Attend all study visits, in person and remotely, and complete all study tests.
- Keep any current talk therapy or other non-drug depression treatment steady. Do not start a new course during the study.
- Avoid cannabis for at least 72 hours before Day -1 tests through Day 0 tests. Keep regular nicotine use steady; occasional users must avoid it during the study.
- If you can become pregnant or are trying to conceive, agree to use highly effective birth control from study entry through Day 7 tests.
Who can't join
- Ever having schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorder, or bipolar disorder; current loss of touch with reality without recognizing it; or dementia or thinking problems shown by a screening score below 18.
- A moderate or severe substance use disorder in the past 6 months, any alcohol on the screening breath test, or a positive urine drug test, except for cannabis.
- Being pregnant, breastfeeding, or planning pregnancy during the study.
- Electrical brain treatment (ECT) or magnetic brain treatment (TMS) in the past 30 days, or plans to start either during the study.
- Risk of suicide or self-harm needing immediate care, or depression so severe that basic needs or safety cannot be met.
- Safety risks for magnetic brain testing or ketamine, such as seizures, certain metal or devices above the chest, severe brain injury, ringing in the ears, ketamine allergy, liver disease, bladder inflammation, or heart or blood vessel problems made risky by higher blood pressure.
- Taking medicines that interfere with ketamine or brain testing, or raise seizure risk, if they cannot safely be paused for the required time. Medicines that affect inflammation must have been steady for at least 2 months, with no planned changes.
- An illness where the immune system attacks the body, such as lupus; a tumor disorder; or another health problem, exam finding, or lab result that makes participation unsafe.
Simplified for readability. The official criteria below are what the study team uses.
Official eligibility criteria
Inclusion Criteria: 1. Able to understand and provide written informed consent. 2. Is a United States Veteran. 3. Between 40-80 years old at the time of informed consent 4. Have neurologist-diagnosed idiopathic Parkinson's disease (PD) for at least six months prior to enrollment 5. History of inadequate response to at least one trial of antidepressant medication 6. On a stable regimen of all medications for at least 2 months prior to enrollment and have no planned medication changes during the period of active participation. 7. Commit to attend all in-person and remote study visits and participate in all data collection procedures. 8. Have a score \>/=20 on the Montgomery-Asberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS), consistent with moderate or greater depressive symptom severity, at Baseline. 9. If already engaged in psychotherapy or other non-pharmacologic treatments for depression, agree to maintain consistent engagement throughout the period of active study participation. 10. If not engaged in psychotherapy or other non-pharmacologic treatments for depression, agree to avoid starting a new course of treatment for the period of active study participation. 11. Agree to abstain from cannabis for a minimum of 72 hours prior to assessments on Day - 1 and to remain abstinent through assessments on Day 0 12. If a regular user of tobacco or nicotine, agree to maintain a consistent pattern of use throughout the period of active study participation; if an infrequent/occasional user, agree to abstain throughout the period of active study participation 13. For people who can become pregnant or trying to conceive: agree to use highly effective contraception from entry into the trial through Day 7 assessments Exclusion Criteria: 1. Lifetime history of schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder or bipolar disorder or current psychosis with loss of insight 2. Dementia or cognitive impairment as determined by a MoCA (telephone version) score \<18 at screening. 3. Moderate or severe substance use disorder during the 6 months prior to enrollment or a breathalyzer test showing an alcohol level \> 0% at screening or a positive urine toxicology panel at screening. Note that a positive result for cannabis is an exception; see Inclusion Criteria 4. Pregnancy, breastfeeding, or plans to become pregnant during the period of trial participation. 5. Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) or transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) treatment within 30 days prior to enrollment or plans to begin either therapy during the participation period 6. High risk of self-harm/suicide that warrants immediate treatment as determined by the Columbia-Suicide Severity Rating Scale (C-SSRS) at screening 7. Current severity of depression symptoms warranting immediate treatment (i.e., resulting in inability to provide for basic needs/safety) at screening 8. Meeting standard safety exclusion criteria for TMS (seizure disorder, ferrous metal or implanted devices above the chest, history of severe traumatic brain injury, tinnitus) 9. Meeting standard safety exclusion criteria for ketamine treatment (previous hypersensitivity reaction to ketamine, hepatitis or liver failure, cystitis, or underlying cardiovascular conditions in which increased blood pressure would pose a risk of complications) 10. Concomitant medications that may interfere with ketamine treatment or increase risk of adverse events (e.g., benzodiazepines, sedative-hypnotics, lamotrigine, MAOIs) if it is not medically appropriate or feasible for the participant to abstain from use for at least 5 half-lives prior to assessments on Day -1 and remain abstinent through assessments on Day 0 11. Concomitant medications that may impact motor cortex plasticity (e.g., memantine, dextromethorphan) if it is not medically appropriate or feasible for the participant to abstain from use for at least 5 half-lives prior to assessments on Day -1 and remain abstinent through assessments on Day 0 12. Concomitant medications that may increase risk of adverse events with TMS (i.e,. those that can lower the seizure threshold) if it is not medically appropriate or feasible for the participant to abstain from use for at least 5 half-lives prior to assessments on Day -1 and remain abstinent through assessments on Day 0 13. Autoimmune disorders (e.g., multiple sclerosis, lupus, rheumatoid arthritis) or neoplastic disorders 14. Use of cytokine antagonists or other medications that may modulate inflammation unless regimen has been stable for at least 2 months and there is no plan to alter the regimen during trial participation 15. Another medical condition or diagnosis, physical exam finding, or laboratory abnormality that precludes participation in study procedures due to safety concerns.
Study sites (1)
CA
- San Francisco VA Medical Center, San Francisco, CA · San Francisco, CA 94121-1563Anusha Badathala, MD · Study contact · 415-688-1923 · anusha.badathala@ncire.orgRebecca Yu · Study contact · (415) 221-4810 ext. 3687 · rebecca.yu@va.govEllen R Bradley, MD · Principal investigatorMore trials in San Francisco