Understanding the Role of the Kappa Opioid Receptor in Ketamine's Attenuation of Suicidal Thoughts

This study explores how stress, suicidal thoughts, and ketamine's effects are connected in people with major depressive disorder. Stress increases the risk for suicidal thoughts, but the biological basis is unclear. Ketamine may help reduce suicidal thoughts by affecting stress-linked brain systems. This study will use smartphone tracking to monitor real-time responses to stress and positron emission tomography (PET) brain scans to study how ketamine affects brain pathways related to stress and suicidal thoughts in depressed individuals.