Intravenous Ketamine Effects on Functional Neuroanatomy

Brief Summary

The purpose of this study is to investigate the neuroanatomical effects of ketamine treatment on patients with treatment-resistant depression. The investigators will compare the neuroimaging of patients several days before and after injection in order to assess the more durable changes induced by ketamine. In addition, changes in perfusion will be analyzed, in addition to changes in neurovascular coupling, and functional connectivity that are correlated with psychiatric measures.

Intervention / Treatment

The purpose of this study is to investigate the neuroanatomical effects of ketamine treatment on patients with treatment-resistant depression. We will compare the neuroimaging of patients several days before and after injection in order to assess the more durable changes induced by ketamine. We will analyze changes in perfusion, neurovascular coupling, and functional connectivity that are correlated with psychiatric measures.
  • Ketamine (DRUG)
    The ketamine will be injected per the doctor's orders to achieve a dissociative state; dosage varies between 75mg - 1000mg depending on every individual's unique treatment plan.

Condition or Disease

  • Depression

Phase

  • Phase 1
  • Study Design

    Study type: INTERVENTIONAL
    Status: Withdrawn
    Study results: No Results Available
    Age: 18 Years to 70 Years
    Enrollment: 0 (ACTUAL)
    Funded by: Other
    Allocation: N/A
    Primary Purpose: Treatment

    Masking

    Clinical Trial Dates

    Start date: May 02, 2020 ACTUAL
    Primary Completion: May 28, 2020 ACTUAL
    Completion Date: May 28, 2020 ACTUAL
    Study First Posted: Dec 20, 2019 ACTUAL
    Results First Posted: Aug 31, 2020
    Last Updated: May 28, 2020

    Sponsors / Collaborators

    Lead sponsor is responsible party
    Responsible Party: N/A

    The present study is designed as a prospective data analysis of patient response to the use of ketamine to treat treatment-resistant depression. For Phase I trail, 10 patients of any gender with an age range of 18 to 70 who have undergone the outlined procedure will be recruited for inclusion. Patients will be examined by the principle investigator. All patients must be diagnosed with persistent treatment-resistant depression and prescribed ketamine. Patients will be accepted regardless of if the depression coincided with anxiety and/or pain. Patient status will be assessed using the Beck Depression Inventory, Beck Anxiety Inventory, and Brief Pain Inventory. Patients must have a Beck Depression Inventory score of 10 or above. These scores will be used as baseline data. Patients will be offered the option of participating in the study and provided informed consent for neuroimaging before and after the ketamine treatment.

    A week before the scheduled ketamine treatment, the patients will have fMRI scans, including structural T1, Arterial Spin Labeling, and Resting BOLD. The scans take around 30 minutes at no charge to the patients. The ketamine will be injected per the doctor's orders to achieve a dissociative state; dosages varies between 75mg - 1000mg depending on every individual's unique treatment plan. The same scans will be taken two days after treatment.

    Participant Groups

    • The present study is designed as a prospective data analysis of patient response to the use of ketamine to treat treatment-resistant depression. For Phase I trail, 10 patients of any gender with an age range of 18 to 70 who have undergone the outlined procedure will be recruited for inclusion. A week before the scheduled ketamine treatment, the patients will have fMRI scans, including structural T1, Arterial Spin Labeling, and Resting BOLD. The scans take around 30 minutes at no charge to the patients. The ketamine will be injected per the doctor's orders to achieve a dissociative state; dosage will vary (see below) depending on every individual's unique treatment plan. The same scans will be taken two days after treatment.

    Eligibility Criteria

    Sex: All
    Minimum Age: 18
    Maximum Age: 70
    Age Groups: Adult / Older Adult
    Healthy Volunteers: Yes

    Inclusion Criteria:

    * In order for a subject to be considered for this study, the patient must have been diagnosed with treatment-resistant depression, meaning the patient failed three medications and has been suffering from moderate treatment-resistant depression for over 6 months, indicated by a Beck Depression Inventory score of 10 or above. The patient must have been prescribed ketamine as part of their treatment plan, completely independent of any research. The patient must be willing to comply with the study protocol.

    Exclusion Criteria:

    * In order for a subject to be considered for this study, he/she may not have any of the following:

    * Advanced stages of any terminal illness or any active cancer that requires chemotherapy
    * Hepatic impairment
    * Significant cytopenia
    * Cardiovascular, cerebrovascular, and peripheral vascular arterial thrombosis
    * Women who are pregnant, may become pregnant, or are breastfeeding
    * Any counter indications to ketamine
    * Subjects unable to give informed consent or in vulnerable categories, such as prisoners

    Primary Outcomes
    • T1-data was collected as a sagittal MPRAGE sequence. T1 images are corrected for field biasing and then skull stripped and linearly registered to standard MNI space. Each patients' T1 image is segmented into 100 cortical and 15 subcortical areas using the Harvard-Oxford Cortical and Subcortical structural atlas. Mean volume is computed for each of these regions for each patient, which can be used for quantitative comparison.

    • T1-data was collected as a sagittal MPRAGE sequence. T1 images are corrected for field biasing and then skull stripped and linearly registered to standard MNI space. Each patients' T1 image is segmented into 100 cortical and 15 subcortical areas using the Harvard-Oxford Cortical and Subcortical structural atlas. Mean volume is computed for each of these regions for each patient, which can be used for quantitative comparison.

    • Pulsed Arterial Spin Labeling is collected as an echo planar sequence. ASL data is superimposed over the acquired T1-weighted brain image demonstrating a map of cerebral perfusion. Quantification to CBF values (milliliters of blood per 100g of tissue per minute) is implemented and voxel-based comparisons showing perfusion values relative to the acquired data range are used for quantification.

    • Pulsed Arterial Spin Labeling is collected as an echo planar sequence. ASL data is superimposed over the acquired T1-weighted brain image demonstrating a map of cerebral perfusion. Quantification to CBF values (milliliters of blood per 100g of tissue per minute) is implemented and voxel-based comparisons showing perfusion values relative to the acquired data range are used for quantification.

    • The signal change measured in BOLD imaging comes from the brain oversupplying the region of activation with oxygen, leading to a focal decrease in deoxygenated hemoglobin. Processed BOLD imaging allows for visualization of hemodynamic response (HR) and neurovascular coupling (NVC) based on signal variability and distribution. These elements can be quantified and used for comparison.

    • The signal change measured in BOLD imaging comes from the brain oversupplying the region of activation with oxygen, leading to a focal decrease in deoxygenated hemoglobin. Processed BOLD imaging allows for visualization of hemodynamic response (HR) and neurovascular coupling (NVC) based on signal variability and distribution. These elements can be quantified and used for comparison.

    Secondary Outcomes
    • The BDI-II is a 21-question multiple-choice self-report inventory. Each question involves four possible responses, ranging in intensity from "0" (this item does not apply) to "3" (this item applies severely). The test is scored as the sum of all of the response values; this number is used to determine the severity of depressive symptoms. A score of 0 to 3 is possible for each question with a maximum total score of 63 points. The standard cutoff scores are as follows: 0-13 total points = minimal depression; 14-19 total points = mild depression; 20-28 total points = moderate depression; and 29-63 total points = severe depression. A reduction in the total score by at least 30% is considered to be clinically significant.

    • The BDI-II is a 21-question multiple-choice self-report inventory. Each question involves four possible responses, ranging in intensity from "0" (this item does not apply) to "3" (this item applies severely). The test is scored as the sum of all of the response values; this number is used to determine the severity of depressive symptoms. A score of 0 to 3 is possible for each question with a maximum total score of 63 points. The standard cutoff scores are as follows: 0-13 total points = minimal depression; 14-19 total points = mild depression; 20-28 total points = moderate depression; and 29-63 total points = severe depression. A reduction in the total score by at least 30% is considered to be clinically significant.

    • The BDI-II is a 21-question multiple-choice self-report inventory. Each question involves four possible responses, ranging in intensity from "0" (this item does not apply) to "3" (this item applies severely). The test is scored as the sum of all of the response values; this number is used to determine the severity of depressive symptoms. A score of 0 to 3 is possible for each question with a maximum total score of 63 points. The standard cutoff scores are as follows: 0-13 total points = minimal depression; 14-19 total points = mild depression; 20-28 total points = moderate depression; and 29-63 total points = severe depression. A reduction in the total score by at least 30% is considered to be clinically significant.

    • The BAI is a 21-question multiple-choice self-report inventory that is used for measuring the severity of anxiety symptoms. Each of the 21 items asks whether the patient has experienced various anxiety symptoms in the last two weeks, and if so, how severely. Each question/answer is scored on a scale value of "0" (not at all) to "3" (severely). Higher total scores indicate more severe anxiety symptoms. The maximum total score possible is 63 points. The standard cutoff scores are: 0-7 = minimal anxiety; 8-15 = mild anxiety; 16-25 = moderate anxiety; 26-63 = severe anxiety. A reduction in score by at least 30% is considered clinically meaningful.

    • The BAI is a 21-question multiple-choice self-report inventory that is used for measuring the severity of anxiety symptoms. Each of the 21 items asks whether the patient has experienced various anxiety symptoms in the last two weeks, and if so, how severely. Each question/answer is scored on a scale value of "0" (not at all) to "3" (severely). Higher total scores indicate more severe anxiety symptoms. The maximum total score possible is 63 points. The standard cutoff scores are: 0-7 = minimal anxiety; 8-15 = mild anxiety; 16-25 = moderate anxiety; 26-63 = severe anxiety. A reduction in score by at least 30% is considered clinically meaningful.

    • The BAI is a 21-question multiple-choice self-report inventory that is used for measuring the severity of anxiety symptoms. Each of the 21 items asks whether the patient has experienced various anxiety symptoms in the last two weeks, and if so, how severely. Each question/answer is scored on a scale value of "0" (not at all) to "3" (severely). Higher total scores indicate more severe anxiety symptoms. The maximum total score possible is 63 points. The standard cutoff scores are: 0-7 = minimal anxiety; 8-15 = mild anxiety; 16-25 = moderate anxiety; 26-63 = severe anxiety. A reduction in score by at least 30% is considered clinically meaningful.

    • Self-report measure containing a composite pain score and functional interference score. The pain subscale contains 4 questions, each with answers ranging from 0 'no pain' to 10 'pain as bad as you can imagine.' Total possible score for the pain subscale is 40 points. The functional/interference subscale contains 7 questions, with each answer ranging from 0 'does not interfere' to 10 'completely interferes.' The maximum possible score for the interference subscale is 70 points. The total overall composite BPI score is out of 100 maximum points. A clinical improvement is considered a decrease in BPI overall composite score by at least 30% from baseline.

    • Self-report measure containing a composite pain score and functional interference score. The pain subscale contains 4 questions, each with answers ranging from 0 'no pain' to 10 'pain as bad as you can imagine.' Total possible score for the pain subscale is 40 points. The functional/interference subscale contains 7 questions, with each answer ranging from 0 'does not interfere' to 10 'completely interferes.' The maximum possible score for the interference subscale is 70 points. The total overall composite BPI score is out of 100 maximum points. A clinical improvement is considered a decrease in BPI overall composite score by at least 30% from baseline.

    • Self-report measure containing a composite pain score and functional interference score. The pain subscale contains 4 questions, each with answers ranging from 0 'no pain' to 10 'pain as bad as you can imagine.' Total possible score for the pain subscale is 40 points. The functional/interference subscale contains 7 questions, with each answer ranging from 0 'does not interfere' to 10 'completely interferes.' The maximum possible score for the interference subscale is 70 points. The total overall composite BPI score is out of 100 maximum points. A clinical improvement is considered a decrease in BPI overall composite score by at least 30% from baseline.

    More Details

    NCT Number: NCT04205890
    Other IDs: 20190792
    Study URL: https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT04205890
    Last updated: Sep 29, 2023