Ketamine assisted psychotherapy to reduce chronic neuropathic pain: A mixed-methods randomized pilot trial.

Study at a glance

Characteristics	Mixed-methods randomized pilot trial Pilot study Peer reviewed
Interventions	Ketamine-assisted psychotherapy Ketamine
Topics	Esketamine Ketamine Psychedelic-assisted therapy
Key findings	Ketamine-assisted psychotherapy was feasible and acceptable for chronic neuropathic pain, with both groups experiencing reduced pain intensity and improved mood; qualitative findings suggest psychotherapy may add psychological benefits, but the pilot nature and small sample warrant larger trials.

This study is part of the evidence base for a synthesis in the library. Here is how each one recorded it.

State of the evidence: Ketamine and psychedelic-assisted therapy Mixed

KAP was feasible and acceptable, both groups had reduced pain intensity and improved mood, and qualitative findings suggested psychotherapy may add psychological benefit; the pilot was small.

Synthesized October 22, 2026

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
Single Versus Repeated Sessions of Ketamine-Assisted Psychotherapy for People with Heroin Dependence Detoxified inpatients with heroin dependence	2007	Randomized controlled trial	n = 59
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

and 1 more in the library