The main purpose of this study is to examine the efficacy and safety of a repeated dosing ketamine infusion paradigm compared to placebo in individuals with PD. A subset of participants in each arm will undergo baseline and post-treatment PET and fMRI scans, to examine whether changes in synaptic density and reorganization of functional networks underlie ketamine's putative antidepressant effects in PD.
This study will assess the efficacy of ketamine for the treatment of depression in Parkinson's disease (PD), in a parallel, double-blind, placebo controlled randomized clinical trial (RCT). Imaging will be used to examine the mechanistic effects of ketamine treatment. Specifically, the investigators will use positron emission tomography (PET) to measure synaptic density and functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to measure functional connectivity. The investigators hypothesize that a course of ketamine treatment will result in a significant reduction in depression severity compared to placebo. Mechanistically, ketamine will result in a reorganization of functional networks and an increase in synaptic density.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
QUADRUPLE
Enrollment
51
Participants will receive 6 infusions of ketamine (0.5 mg/kg IV, up to 60 mg total) , administered over 40 minutes while on continuous cardiac monitoring and oximetry
Participants will receive 6 infusions of saline administered over 40 minutes while on continuous cardiac monitoring and oximetry
Yale New Haven Hospital
New Haven, Connecticut, United States
Change in Depression Severity
The primary outcome of depression severity post-treatment will be compared between groups using a linear mixed model with group (ketamine, placebo) included as a between-subjects factor and time (baseline, weeks 1, 2, 3) included as a within-subjects factor. The scale used to measure depression severity is called The Montgomery-Åsberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS). The MADRS is a ten-item diagnostic questionnaire which psychiatrists use to measure the severity of depressive episodes in patients with mood disorders. The overall score ranges from 0 to 60, higher MADRS score indicates more severe depression.
Time frame: Baseline, Week 1, Week 2, and Week 3
Change in Blood pressure: systolic
Changes in systolic and diastolic blood pressure determined as clinically significant by the Investigator
Time frame: Baseline and up to 19 days after last administration of study intervention
Change in Blood pressure: diastolic
Changes in systolic and diastolic blood pressure determined as clinically significant by the Investigator
Time frame: Baseline and up to 19 days after last administration of study intervention
Change in Heart rate
Changes in heart rate determined as clinically significant by the Investigator
Time frame: Baseline and up to 19 days after last administration of study intervention
Change in Respiration
Changes in respiration determined as clinically significant by the Investigator
Time frame: Baseline and up to 19 days after last administration of study intervention
Change in O2 saturation
Changes in O2 saturation determined as clinically significant by the Investigator
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Time frame: Baseline and up to 19 days after last administration of study intervention
Change in ECG
Changes in ECG indicating a cardiac event such as an arrhythmia or ischemia determined as clinically significant by the Investigator
Time frame: Baseline and up to 19 days after last administration of study intervention
Change in CBC with differential
Changes in CBD with differential determined as clinically significant by the Investigator
Time frame: Baseline and up to 19 days after last administration of study intervention
Change in complete metabolic panel
Changes in complete metabolic panel determined as clinically significant by the Investigator
Time frame: Baseline and up to 19 days after last administration of study intervention
Change in TFTs
Changes in TFTs determined as clinically significant by the Investigator
Time frame: Baseline and up to 19 days after last administration of study intervention
Change in routine urinalysis
Changes in routine urinalysis determined as clinically significant by the Investigator
Time frame: Baseline and up to 19 days after last administration of study intervention
Adverse events
Assessed by CTCAE v5.0 and the abbreviated version of the SAFTEE-GI and -SI to assess all body systems
Time frame: Baseline and up to 32 days after last administration of study intervention
Change in synaptic density
The change in synaptic (SV2A) density (measured using \[11C\]UCB-J PET) between baseline and post-intervention scans will be measured across regions of interest
Time frame: Baseline, Week 3
Change in network function
The change in network function will be measured by comparing fMRI functional connectivity between baseline and post-intervention scans
Time frame: Baseline, Week 3