This randomised controlled parallel group Phase II trial (n=12) evaluated the safety and efficacy of ketamine for spider phobia using 105mg/70kg ketamine.
We hypothesise that Ketamine could be used therapeutically to manage phobic situations that interfere with health or business activities (e.g. needle phobic patients getting medical/dental procedures; aeroplane/flight phobic patients needing to travel by air).
The purpose of the study is to evaluate the effect of oral doses of ketamine and the active control, midazolam, on anxiety ratings in participants with spider phobia.
Images of spiders will be presented to participants at 60 minutes via a virtual reality (VR) headset. 5 spider encounters will be presented that vary in terms of size, activity level and proximity of the VR spider to the participant.
Resting EEG will be recorded predose, during the VR spider simulation, and at 70 mins, after the spider simulation exercise is completed.
Changes in anxiety and phobia ratings, plus heart rate will be obtained pre-dose, at 30 mins and immediately after each VR spider exposure at 60 mins..
This study is a replication study of ACTRN12619001504101.