Ketamine Trial for Depression in Parkinson's Disease

Depression affects around half of people with Parkinson's disease and significantly adds to the burden already faced by patients. However, existing antidepressants are not effective in treating depression in Parkinson's disease, and new treatments are urgently needed. Ketamine is a drug that has been traditionally used as an anesthetic, but based on the discovery that it rapidly reduces symptoms of depression, is now being used as an antidepressant. Ketamine holds significant potential for effectively treating depression in Parkinson's disease. We will test this for the first time in a controlled clinical trial. We will also use brain imaging to determine how it works in the brain.