Nitrous Oxide- Suicidal Ideation

Part of paid clinical trials in St Louis, Missouri.

Sponsor
Washington University School of Medicine
Study ID
NCT03736538
Phase
PHASE1
Status
Enrolling By Invitation

Conditions

Eligibility Criteria

Sex
ALL
Age
18 Years - 65 Years
Healthy Volunteers
Not accepted

Interventions

  • Nitrous Oxide — DRUG
    Nitrous oxide, an odorless, colorless gas typically used as an induction agent for general anesthesia or for dental sedation, is a known N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) antagonist. It will be given at 50% nitrous oxide/50% oxygen in this study.
  • Placebo gas — DRUG
    Placebo gas given at 50% nitrogen \[inert\]/50% oxygen.

Study Details

Most clinical major depression responds to standard treatments (medication and psychotherapy); however, a significant subset of depressed patients (15-20%) do not respond to these treatments and are referred to as treatment-resistant major depression (TRMD). New treatments for TRMD are needed, and one promising line of research are drugs known as N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) glutamate receptor antagonists. In a recent pilot study, the investigators of this study demonstrated that the NMDA antagonist nitrous oxide is effective in TRMD, reducing depressive symptoms, guilt, and suicidal thinking. To more closely investigate suicidal thinking, this study is designed as a double-blind, randomized, prospective, inpatient trial comparing inhaled nitrous oxide (N2O) plus treatment as usual versus inhaled placebo plus treatment as usual. All unipolar depressed, acutely suicidal inpatients will receive standard treatment for their depression/ suicidal thinking (TAU). Additionally, participants will undergo a maximum of four one hour inhalation sessions as inpatients and 2 booster sessions as outpatients during which they will receive either inhaled nitrous oxide (50% nitrous oxide/50% oxygen = active treatment) or placebo gas (50% nitrogen/50% oxygen). A target total of 50 patients with suicidal ideation and unipolar depression will be enrolled, 25 of whom will be assigned to the TAU control group and 25 of whom will be assigned to the N2O + TAU experimental group.

Key Dates

Start date
Oct 30, 2018
Status verified
Dec 2025
Primary completion
Sep 30, 2026
Completion
Dec 31, 2026

Study Design

Enrollment
50 participants (estimated)
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
TREATMENT

Arms

  • Experimental: Nitrous Oxide
    Nitrous oxide, an odorless, colorless gas typically used as an induction agent for general anesthesia or for dental sedation, is a known N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) antagonist. It will be given at 50% nitrous oxide/50% oxygen in this study. Participants will undergo a maximum of four one hour inhalation sessions as inpatients and 2 booster sessions as outpatients during which they will receive inhaled nitrous oxide.
  • Placebo Comparator: Placebo Gas
    Placebo gas given at 50% nitrogen \[inert\]/50% oxygen. Participants will undergo a maximum of four one hour inhalation sessions as inpatients and 2 booster sessions as outpatients during which they will receive placebo gas.

Primary Outcome Measure

Severity and number of adverse events in both nitrous oxide and placebo groups [ Time Frame: Throughout study duration (approximately 60 days) ]

Locations (1)

FacilityCityStateZIPSite coordinators
Washington University School of MedicineSt LouisMissouri63110-

Find similar trials in St Louis, MO

By condition
Depression
By specialty
PsychiatryMental healthBehavioral health
By research site
Washington University School of Medicine· St Louis, MO

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