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Home/Research/Ketamine/Adolescents

Ketamine for Adolescents

33 papers and 14 clinical trials exploring ketamine as a treatment for adolescents.

CompoundArylcyclohexylamine

Ketamine

A dissociative anesthetic with rapid-acting antidepressant properties, widely used in clinical settings for mood and pain disorders.

Full Ketamine profile
Indication1 in 7 adolescents lives with a mental disorder

Adolescents

Adolescents are a developing-brain, vulnerable population that the modern psychedelic field has mostly studied from the outside: almost all psychedelic trials enrol adults, not minors. The one mature clinical thread in under-18s is ketamine and esketamine for depression and acute suicidality, where benefits are real but modest and often matched by active-placebo arms. For classic psychedelics like psilocybin, LSD and MDMA there is essentially no controlled evidence in adolescents, and the developing brain raises safety questions that adult data cannot answer.

Full Adolescents profile

Academic Research

33 papers
Open Accessindividual

Single dose IV ketamine for adolescent suicidal ideation in the emergency department: a pilot randomized trial

This double-blind, randomised, placebo-controlled pilot trial (n=20) tested a single IV dose of ketamine for suicidal thoughts in adolescents attending the emergency department. It found the study was feasible and well tolerated, but ketamine did not clearly reduce suicidal ideation at 40 minutes, although fewer participants were admitted to hospital at the initial visit.

Published
April 6, 2026
Journal
BMC Psychiatry
Authors
Schlegelmilch, M., Plint, A. C., Barrowman, N., Gray, C., Crawford, T., Kutcher, S. A., Bhatt, M.
Open Accessindividual

Effect of Esketamine on Depressive Symptoms in Adolescents with Major Depressive Disorder at Imminent Suicide Risk: A Randomized Psychoactive-Controlled Study

This double-blind Phase IIb trial (n=147) evaluated the efficacy, safety, and tolerability of esketamine nasal spray versus midazolam in reducing depressive (MDD) symptoms in adolescents at imminent risk for suicide (SI). The study finds that pooled doses of esketamine (56 and 84 mg) significantly reduce depressive symptoms at 24 hours, with common side effects including dizziness, nausea, and dissociation.

Published
January 1, 2026
Journal
Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry
Authors
Kosik-Gonzalez, C., Chen, L. N., Lane, R., Bloch, M. H., DelBello, M., Moreno, C., Drevets, W. C., Canuso, C. M., Fu, D. J.
Paywallindividual

Barriers to Esketamine Nasal Spray Treatment Among Adults With Treatment-Resistant Depression

This retrospective observational cohort study (n=966 esketamine initiators, n=39,219 controls) examines factors influencing esketamine initiation and continuation for treatment-resistant depression (TRD). Initiators resided closer to treatment centres, with initiation rates decreasing significantly with distance. Factors associated with increased initiation included posttraumatic stress disorder, suicidal ideation, and male sex, while Medicaid, substance use disorder, older age, and greater distance were associated with lower initiation rates.

Published
May 6, 2024
Journal
Journal of Clinical Psychiatry
Authors
Joshi, K., Liberman, J. N., Parab, P., Darer, J. D., Harding, L.
Paywallindividual

Effect of Repeated Intravenous Esketamine on Adolescents With Major Depressive Disorder and Suicidal Ideation: A Randomized Active-Placebo-Controlled Trial

This placebo-controlled trial (n=54) investigates the efficacy and safety of esketamine (iv, 17.5mg, 3x) in adolescents suffering from depression (MDD) and suicidal ideation (SI). It shows significant reductions in Columbia Suicide Severity Rating Scale (C-SSRS) Ideation and Intensity scores and Montgomery-Åsberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS) scores in the esketamine group compared to the midazolam (placebo) group at day six, with maintained antisuicidal and antidepressant responses at four weeks post-treatment.

Published
May 1, 2024
Journal
Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
Authors
Zhou, Y., Lan, X-F., Wang, C., Zhang, F., Liu, H., Chao, Z., Ning, Y-P., Fu, L., Hu, Z., Li, W., Ye, Y.
Open Accessmeta

Hype or hope? High placebo response in major depression treatment with ketamine and esketamine: a systematic review and meta-analysis

This meta-analysis of 14 RCTs (1,100 participants) found large antidepressant effects for ketamine and esketamine. However, the pooled placebo response accounted for up to 72% of the overall treatment effect (66% at seven days), indicating a major contribution of placebo to observed benefits and implications for clinical practice.

Published
March 8, 2024
Journal
Frontiers in Psychiatry
Authors
Matsingos, A., Wilhelm, M., Noor, L., Yildiz, C., Rief, W., Hofmann, S. G., Falkenberg, I., Kircher, T., Eugene, A. R., Yang, J. J.
Open Accessindividual

Sublingual Ketamine for Depression and Anxiety: A Retrospective Study of Real-World Clinical Outcomes

This retrospective analysis (n=431) of at-home ketamine treatments (1x p/w, 50-400mg lozenges) for depression, generalized anxiety, and social anxiety found statistically significant improvements in symptoms measured via PHQ-9, GAD-7, and SAD-D-10 at all follow-up time points (1-2-3 months). Minor side effects were reported by 18.8% of patients, resolving within 24 hours, and the majority concluded treatment within ≤ 6 months. No significant differences were observed between treatment-resistant and non-resistant depression outcomes.

Published
February 6, 2024
Journal
MedRvix
Authors
Swanson, Pa-C, L. N., Jones, L. S., Aycart, J. M., Zhu, Z., Rabin, D. M., Kuhn, T.

Clinical Trials

14 trials
Not yet recruitingPhase III

Evaluation of the Efficacy and Safety of Subcutaneous Ketamine in the Treatment of Depressive Episode With Suicidal Ideation and/or Behavior in Adolescents

This randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled Phase III trial (n=60) will investigate the efficacy and safety of subcutaneous ketamine (35-70mg/70kg, twice weekly for four weeks) as an add-on treatment for adolescents experiencing a major depressive episode with suicidal ideation and/or behaviour.

Started
May 1, 2025
Type
interventional
Blinding
double
Randomized
Yes
Registry ID
NCT06957704
Enrolling by invitationPhase II

Ketamine Effects on Learning in Eating Disorders (KETTLE)

This open-label, Phase II trial (n=20) will study the effects of a single intravenous (IV) dose of ketamine (35mg/70kg; 0.5 mg/kg over 40 minutes) on cognitive flexibility in adolescents and young adults (ages 16–26) medically hospitalised for anorexia nervosa or atypical anorexia nervosa.

Started
February 7, 2025
Type
interventional
Blinding
none
Randomized
No
Registry ID
NCT06736769
Temporarily not availablePhase I

Ketamine-assisted Psychotherapy for Adolescent PTSD (KAP)

This interventional trial (n=5) investigates the safety and feasibility of ketamine-assisted psychotherapy in adolescents with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

Started
August 1, 2024
Type
interventional
Blinding
none
Randomized
No
Registry ID
NCT06378528
RecruitingPhase NA

Study of IV Ketamine for Emergency Department Treatment of Adolescent Suicidal Ideation (KSI)

This double-blinded, randomized, placebo-controlled, parallel-arm pilot trial (n=20) will investigate the efficacy of intravenous ketamine (0.5 mg/kg IV) versus saline for emergency department treatment of suicidal ideation in adolescents.

Started
January 15, 2024
Type
interventional
Blinding
quadruple
Randomized
Yes
Registry ID
NCT06366334
Unknown statusPhase III

Study of IV Ketamine for Emergency Department Treatment of Adolescent Suicidal Ideation

This double-blinded, randomized, placebo-controlled, parallel-arm pilot trial (n=20) will investigate the efficacy of intravenous ketamine for emergency department treatment of suicidal ideation (SI) in adolescents.

Started
June 1, 2023
Type
interventional
Blinding
quadruple
Randomized
Yes
Registry ID
NCT05468840
RecruitingPhase III

Ketamine Treatment of Youth Suicide Attempters

This double-blind, placebo-controlled trial (n=140) investigates the efficacy and safety of ketamine in rapidly reducing severe suicide risk among youth aged 14-30 who have attempted suicide.

Started
June 27, 2022
Type
interventional
Blinding
triple
Randomized
Yes
Registry ID
NCT04763343

Explore further

Search all Ketamine papers Search all Adolescents trials Full Ketamine profile Full Adolescents profile