Evaluating the Neuromodulatory Effect of Ketamine in Long COVID-19
Public ClinicalTrials.gov record NCT06821087. Field values are reproduced from the official study page; the official ClinicalTrials.gov record remains the source of truth for eligibility, enrollment, and contact information.
Data is sourced from official ClinicalTrials.gov public API records. Always review the official ClinicalTrials.gov record for the latest information.
Official title
Evaluating the Neuromodulatory Effect of Ketamine in Long COVID: A Pilot Study Targeting Fatigue and Neurocognitive Symptoms
Brief summary
Reproduced verbatim from the official ClinicalTrials.gov record. Not medical advice.
Plain Language Summary: This study is a clinical trial to see if ketamine can help treat symptoms of Long COVID, especially fatigue and problems with thinking clearly (often called "brain fog"). Long COVID is a condition that affects people even after they have recovered from COVID-19, causing ongoing health issues like tiredness, memory problems, and difficulty concentrating. Right now, there are very few treatments available for these symptoms, and many people are looking for new options to feel better. What is the study trying to find out? Does ketamine help reduce fatigue and improve thinking skills in people with Long COVID? Does ketamine improve overall quality of life and mental health for people with Long COVID? Is ketamine safe and well-tolerated for people with Long COVID? How does ketamine affect the body's biological processes, like inflammation and brain function? How will the study work? The study will include 20 adults between 18 and 65 years old who have Long COVID symptoms like fatigue or brain fog. Participants will first meet with researchers to answer health questions, take surveys about their symptoms, and do tests to check their thinking skills. All participants will also have a brain scan (MRI) and give a blood sample to look at markers of inflammation. Participants will then receive four ketamine treatments over two weeks at a specialized clinic. The ketamine will be given as an injection, with the dose slightly increasing during the treatment period. After six weeks, participants will return for follow-up tests to see if their symptoms have improved. This includes repeating the surveys, thinking tests, MRI and blood test. Why ketamine? Ketamine is a medicine originally used for anesthesia but has also been found to help with depression and other mental health issues. Researchers think it might help with Long COVID symptoms because it can reduce inflammation in the brain and improve how the brain functions. People with Long COVID often have signs of inflammation and changes in brain chemicals, which ketamine might help balance. What are the potential benefits? Participants might experience less fatigue and clearer thinking after ketamine treatment. They could also feel better overall in terms of mood and quality of life. Since ketamine can work quickly, some people may notice improvements shortly after starting the treatment. What are the risks? Ketamine can cause side effects like feeling dizzy, anxious, or having an unusual sense of reality (sometimes called dissociation). It may also cause temporary increases in blood pressure or heart rate. All treatments will be carefully monitored by healthcare professionals to ensure safety. Who can participate? Adults aged 18-65 with Long COVID who have significant fatigue or thinking problems can join. People will not be able to participate if they have certain health conditions like severe heart disease, uncontrolled high blood pressure, or a history of severe mental health disorders. Why is this study important? Long COVID affects millions of people, and many are struggling to find treatments that work. This study is one of the first to explore ketamine as a potential treatment for Long COVID symptoms. If ketamine helps, it could lead to more research and eventually new treatment options for people living with Long COVID.
Study identification
- NCT ID
- NCT06821087
- Recruitment status
- Completed
- Study type
- Interventional
- Phase
- Phase 2
- Enrollment
- 20 participants
Conditions and interventions
Conditions
Eligibility (public fields only)
- Age range
- 18 Years to 65 Years
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Healthy volunteers not accepted
This page does not interpret eligibility. Detailed inclusion and exclusion criteria are on the official ClinicalTrials.gov record.
Study timeline
- Start date
- Apr 27, 2025
- Primary completion
- Jun 21, 2026
- Completion
- Jun 21, 2026
- Last update posted
- Jun 28, 2026
2025 – 2026
United States locations
- U.S. sites
- 1
- U.S. states
- 1
- U.S. cities
- 1
| Facility | City | State | ZIP | Site status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| UT Health Austin | Austin | Texas | 78712 | — |
Site contact phone numbers, emails, and investigator names are intentionally not displayed here. Open the official ClinicalTrials.gov record for site contact information.
About this trial record page
- What this page shows
- Public field values for ClinicalTrials.gov record NCT06821087, including study identification, conditions, interventions, eligibility (age, sex, healthy volunteer), timeline, and U.S. site list.
- What this page does not do
- No medical advice, eligibility judgments, treatment recommendations, study quality scoring, or AI-generated medical summaries. No site contact phone numbers, emails, or investigator names.
- Where the data comes from
- Sourced from the official ClinicalTrials.gov public API. The official record is the source of truth.
- Last refresh
- Last update posted Jun 28, 2026 · Synced Sep 7, 2026
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Open the official record
The complete protocol, eligibility criteria, and contact information for NCT06821087 live on ClinicalTrials.gov.