Conditions: Major Depression
Allocation: RANDOMIZED | Intervention model: FACTORIAL
Enrollment: 26
Healthy volunteers: no

Brief summary:
This study is examining the safety and effectiveness of two medications, ketamine and riluzole, in treating patients with treatment resistant major depressive disorder. This study will also examine the effectiveness of an FDA approved drug called lamotrigine in decreasing the potential side effects associated with ketamine.

Detailed description:
This research proposal will investigate a glutamate-modulating agent, riluzole, in treatment-resistant patients who exhibit an acute, sustained response to a single dose of intravenous (IV) racemic ketamine. Fifty ketamine-responders will be randomized to riluzole or placebo in a 4-week, randomized, double-blind, continuation-phase study.

Arms:
arm 1: Patients who met enrolment criteria for phase 1 were randomly allocated to lamotrigine or placebo by a permuted block procedure consisting of blocks of two or four patients. The randomization list was created by a biostatistician with no patient contact. 300 mg of lamotrigine 2 hrs prior to ketamine infusion. Responders were randomized to one of two continuation pharmacotherapy groups, receiving either two capsules of riluzole 50 mg each (100 mg/d) or matching pill placebo under double-blind conditions. arm 2: 2 hours prior to ketamine infusion each patient received three capsules of placebo identical in size, weight, appearance, and taste to the lamotrigine tablets. Responders were randomized to one of two continuation pharmacotherapy groups, receiving either two capsules of riluzole 50 mg each (100 mg/d) or matching pill placebo under double-blind conditions.

Interventions: intervention 1: Lamotrigine intervention 2: Ketamine intervention 3: Riluzole
Intervention descriptions: intervention 1: anticonvulsant medication intervention 2: subanesthetic dose of NMDAR antagonist intervention 3: glutamate release inhibitor

Protocol document: