Other - Ex-Ketamine users sought for paid research

[Huw]

Hi there. I’m conducting a study on behalf of University College London (with funding from the Economic and Social Research Council - www.esrc.ac.uk) into the long-term effects of ketamine use. Specifically, I am looking at the effects it may (or may not) have on memory and thought processes together with mood, as assessed by various questionnaires and computer based tasks. I have finished recruiting for my ketamine users groups now, and am now looking for people who used to use ketamine but have now stopped, so I can try and tell whether any patterns/effects that are present in current ketamine users are permanent or if they go away when people stop using the drug.

Specifically then, I am looking for:

People who used to do ketamine on a regular basis (i.e. at least once every 3 weeks) for a period of 9 months of longer, but who have since given up and not used it for at least 6 months. They can, however, still use any other drug(s).

The study requires you to visit us in Central London and is non-invasive (in that we don't make you take anything nor do we take blood samples) but we do take a urine and hair sample. The computer tasks and questionnaires take most people a little over three hours to complete in total and you are paid £35 (we cannot cover travel costs though). We also ask that you return in about 10 months to repeat the process. Payment is increased to around £65 for this follow up stage to act as an incentive for you to come back!

Naturally, this study is highly confidential, and participation is treated accordingly.

If you think you might be suitable, or have any questions, please feel free to email me at h.rees@ucl.ac.uk

Regards

Huw Rees
Psychopharmacology Unit
University College London

[robin_himself]

you don't even throw a sample in? Bad marketing....

"People who used to do ketamine on a regular basis (i.e. at least once every 3 weeks) for a period of 9 months of longer, but who have since given up and not used it for at least 6 months. They can, however, still use any other drug(s). "


well I have a question... how is it possible to conduct research on memory loss and mood if the test subjects where allowed to use other drugs in that period. I think it will effect the results.

[Huw]

Originally Posted by robin_himself

you don't even throw a sample in? Bad marketing....

"People who used to do ketamine on a regular basis (i.e. at least once every 3 weeks) for a period of 9 months of longer, but who have since given up and not used it for at least 6 months. They can, however, still use any other drug(s). "


well I have a question... how is it possible to conduct research on memory loss and mood if the test subjects where allowed to use other drugs in that period. I think it will effect the results.

Hi there. Well, my colleagues have, in the past given doses of ketamine to people (see http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/q...&dopt=Abstract), but recent changes in the legal classification of ketamine make such research a little less easy to get approval for.

As for your other point, you have hit upon one of the big problems we face as researchers exploring an area where ethically we cannot dictate which substances and what doses our participants take. The fact of the matter is that there are very few pure Ketamine users - and very few users of any drug - as most drug users take a variety. The way we TRY to get around this is we try and match people for drug use. So, we get Person A, who might smoke cannabis daily, and at the weekend use ecstasy and coke, and we try and compare them to Person B, who is also a daily cannabis smoker and who weekly uses ecstasy and coke, but who also uses ketamine twice a month or so. Therefore, any differences we see can, we hope, be attributed to the ketamine. As for ex-users, similarly we compare them to people with similar current drug use patterns but no history of ketamine use.

[Jatelka]

Huw: Have you requested permission from Alfa (Administrator) to recruit for your study via this forum? That would only be polite after all. If not, it might be best to do so.

To members thinking of participating SWIJ has done some digging around, and can confirm that he IS a member of UCL and IS involved in a legitimate research project.

He has also been involved in research on MDMA. There is a link here:

http://www.erowid.org/references/ref...DocPartID=5912

[enquirewithin]

It might be hard to find people who fit this description who are not polydrug users.

[Alfa]

Huw has contacted me for permission, which I gave.

Reputation Comments on this post:

Have a banana-peel!

[Huw]

Originally Posted by enquirewithin

It might be hard to find people who fit this description who are not polydrug users.

Just to clarify, the ex-ketamine users can use other substances. It is just the ketamine they need to have stopped.

[IHrtHalucingens]

Huw i hope that when your done you'll come back and enlighten us with your results. Good luck and sorry SWIM cant be of any help to you.

[enquirewithin]

Originally Posted by Huw

Just to clarify, the ex-ketamine users can use other substances. It is just the ketamine they need to have stopped.

Ok! I too wish could help, but can't right now. I would be very interested to know the results.

[Beltane]

SWIM would have to edit that description to something like: People who used to do ketamine at least 4 days per week and an average of 5 ml. per day (said average being bolstered by vacations to Mexico where 3 - 4 bottles per day was the norm) for a period of 9 months of longer, but who have since given up and not used it for at least 6 months because they moved and no longer have access.

Before I get flamed, I obviously don't condone or suggest such behavior for anyone, and neither does SWIM.

Along the lines of your survey, SWIM had this to say about memory. Overall his memory is impressive as it always has been, so long as one sticks to the proper subjects. He seems to have suffered a serious loss of interest in remembering anything he deems unfit for storage. He seriously doesn't know who is Vice President most of the time but will talk at length about string theory and the many parallels between Catholicism and Paganism. Hard to explain, but that's about the best I can do in describing him.

- Beltane

[adzket]

i did a study with the people at uch london last year on ketamine users have to go back later this year for more tests. then should get results soon after that as to what its doing. they are legit and very good and profesional.