Cocaine users wanted for study

The combination of neurofeedback training and a single dose of ketamine is being investigated. All information under this link

A study is being conducted at the Psychiatric University Hospital Zurich under the direction of Dr. Marcus Herdener, MD, combining two novel treatment methods for cocaine addiction: The one-off administration of ketamine, a well-studied drug used in anesthesia, which is already being used successfully to treat depressive disorders, and neurofeedback training, which can be used to learn how to regulate brain activity in a targeted manner.

This is a clinical trial with a randomized, double-blind, parallel-group, placebo-controlled design.

As this is a placebo-controlled study, only 50% of the participants receive the real drug, i.e. ketamine. The allocation of whether a person receives ketamine or placebo is random.

Neurofeedback training is also placebo-controlled, which is why only half of the participants receive the real neurofeedback training. The other half also undergo neurofeedback training, but the feedback is not real.

However, due to the study design, the probability of receiving at least one of the two new forms of therapy is 75%.

The study will begin in January 2024 and run for at least 2 years.

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