Combined Effects of Nasal Ketamine and Trauma-Focused Psychotherapy in Treatment-Resistant Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder: A Pilot Case Series.
Judith Rohde, Elena Hickmann, Marco Buchmann, Golo Kronenberg, Stefan Vetter, Erich Seifritz, Birgit Kleim, Sebastian Olbrich
Behavioral Sciences August 16, 2024 DOI: 10.3390/bs14080717 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Pilot case series Randomized Case report Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 3 |
| Population | Individuals with chronic, treatment-resistant PTSD |
| Interventions | Ketamine Trauma-focused psychotherapy |
| Dose | 0.5 mg/kg |
| Duration | 8-week intervention |
| Topics | Ketamine PTSD Esketamine |
| Keywords | Ketamine assisted Trauma focused PTSD-Treatment Ketamine-therapy Trauma-focused-psychotherapy Mental-health-innovation Clinical-research |
| Citations | 7 |
| Key findings | Combining nasally administered ketamine with trauma-focused psychotherapy produced clinically relevant reductions in PTSD and depressive symptoms in three patients with chronic, treatment-resistant PTSD. |
Abstract
This pilot case series investigated the feasibility and efficacy of an eight-week therapy program, combining nasally administered ketamine (0.5 mg/kg) with trauma-focused psychotherapy, for individuals with chronic, treatment-resistant post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Three patients with chronic, treatment-resistant PTSD underwent the eight-week therapy program. Clinical assessments included the Clinician-Administered PTSD Scale for DSM-5 (CAPS-5) and the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAMD) at baseline, post-assessment, and follow-up assessment, along with additional measures assessing other relevant symptoms and side effects. The results demonstrated clinically relevant reductions in PTSD symptoms, indicated by a change in the CAPS-5 score at post-assessment (M = -18.00; SE = 6.48) and follow-up assessment (M = -25.33, SE = 5.58). Additionally, depressive symptoms showed notable improvement, with changes in HAMD scores at post-assessment (M = -8.33, SE = 3.07) and follow-up assessment (M = -9.00, SE = 3.77). Positive effects were also observed in anxiety reduction, decreased dissociations, and improvements in emotion regulation and disturbances of self-organization. Despite potential variations in clinical profiles among the patients, the therapy program demonstrated positive outcomes for all participants. Nasally administered ketamine was well tolerated and resulted in immediate symptom reduction in tension, anxiety, and common PTSD symptoms. However, to validate these findings and compare treatment efficacy, future randomized controlled trials are warranted, especially in comparison with trauma-focused therapy alone.
Comparable studies
Other case reports and case series on ketamine for PTSD, most cited first.
Citations in the library
Cited by 3
- Interventional Psychiatry and Emerging Treatments for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD): A Systematic Review. Psychiatry and Clinical Psychopharmacology August 11, 2025
- Toward Integrating Intranasal Esketamine with Traumatic-Memory Psychotherapy in Treatment-Resistant Depression: A Narrative Review and Feasibility-Oriented Protocol Proposal. Behavioral Sciences May 14, 2026
- A Systematic Review of the efficacy, safety, and Tolerability of Psychedelics in the Treatment of post-traumatic Stress Disorder Current Treatment Options in Psychiatry December 26, 2025
Cites 13
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and 8 more in the library