Single Versus Repeated Sessions of Ketamine-Assisted Psychotherapy for People with Heroin Dependence
Evgeny Krupitsky, Andrei M. Burakov, Igor Dunaevsky, Tatyana N. Romanova, T. Y. Slavina, Alexander Grinenko
Journal of Psychoactive Drugs March 1, 2007 DOI: 10.1080/02791072.2007.10399860 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Randomized controlled trial Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 59 |
| Population | Detoxified inpatients with heroin dependence |
| Intervention | Ketamine-assisted psychotherapy |
| Duration | One-year follow-up |
| Topics | Addiction Anxiety Esketamine Ketamine Psychedelic-assisted therapy |
| Keywords | Abstinence Craving Heroin Placebo Group psychotherapy Randomized controlled trial Clinical psychology Psychotherapist Drug Alternative medicine |
| Citations | 176 |
| Key findings | Three sessions of ketamine-assisted psychotherapy led to a significantly higher rate of abstinence at one-year follow-up than a single session. |
Abstract
A prior study found that one ketamine-assisted psychotherapy session was significantly more effective than active placebo in promoting abstinence (Krupitsky et al. 2002). In this study of the efficacy of single versus repeated sessions of ketamine-assisted psychotherapy in promoting abstinence in people with heroin dependence, 59 detoxified inpatients with heroin dependence received a ketamine-assisted psychotherapy (KPT) session prior to their discharge from an addiction treatment hospital, and were then randomized into two treatment groups. Participants in the first group received two addiction counseling sessions followed by two KPT sessions, with sessions scheduled on a monthly interval (multiple KPT group). Participants in the second group received two addiction counseling sessions on a monthly interval, but no additional ketamine therapy sessions (single KPT group). At one-year follow-up, survival analysis demonstrated a significantly higher rate of abstinence in the multiple KPT group. Thirteen out of 26 subjects (50%) in the multiple KPT group remained abstinent, compared to 6 out of 27 subjects (22.2%) in the single KPT group (p < 0.05). No differences between groups were found in depression, anxiety, craving for heroin, or their understanding of the meaning of their lives. It was concluded that three sessions of ketamine-assisted psychotherapy are more effective than a single session for the treatment of heroin addiction.
In the evidence
This study is part of the evidence base for 3 syntheses in the library. Here is how each one recorded it.
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Three ketamine-assisted psychotherapy sessions yielded significantly higher one-year abstinence (50%) than a single session (22.2%), with no group differences in depression, anxiety, craving, or meaning in life.
Synthesized
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Three sessions of ketamine-assisted psychotherapy led to a significantly higher one-year abstinence rate (50%) than a single session (22.2%), with no differences in depression, anxiety, or craving.
Synthesized
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No differences between single and multiple ketamine-assisted psychotherapy sessions were found in depression, anxiety, craving for heroin, or understanding of the meaning of life.
Synthesized
Comparable studies
Other randomized controlled trials on ketamine and psychedelic-assisted therapy, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ketamine psychotherapy for heroin addiction: immediate effects and two-year follow-up. Detoxified heroin-addicted patients | 2002 | Randomized controlled trial | n = 70 |
| Psychotherapy for Ketamine's Enhanced Durability in Chronic Neuropathic Pain: Protocol for a Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial. Patients with chronic neuropathic pain at the Chronic Pain Clinic, St. Michael's... | 2024 | Pilot randomized controlled trial | n = 30 |
| Neuroimaging correlates and predictors of response to repeated-dose intravenous ketamine in PTSD: preliminary evidence Participants with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) | 2021 | Randomized clinical trial | n = 21 |
| Ketamine assisted psychotherapy to reduce chronic neuropathic pain: A mixed-methods randomized pilot trial. | 2026 | Mixed-methods randomized pilot trial |