Ketamine assisted psychotherapy to reduce chronic neuropathic pain: A mixed-methods randomized pilot trial.
Med August 13, 2026 DOI: 10.1016/j.medj.2026.101259 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| 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. |
Abstract
Ketamine assisted psychotherapy to reduce chronic neuropathic pain: A mixed-methods randomized pilot trial.
In the evidence
This study is part of the evidence base for a synthesis in the library. Here is how each one recorded it.
-
Ketamine-assisted psychotherapy was feasible and acceptable for chronic neuropathic pain, with both groups experiencing reduced pain intensity and improved mood; qualitative findings suggested psychotherapy may add psychological benefits.
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 |
| 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 |