Intra-Sessional Autonomic Arc Detection in Ketamine-Assisted Therapy for PTSD: A Signal Characterisation Pilot Study

Opening soon NCT07614581

Run by Adriaan Dirk van der Wart · for 19 to 65 · All sexes

What this study is about

This study examines whether a continuous wearable biosensor and a proprietary signal detection algorithm (JungleCODE, Open Medicine Studio) can detect and characterise the autonomic nervous system arc - a trajectory from a state of high physiological arousal (aporia) to a state of regulated calm (ataraxia) - during ketamine-assisted therapy (KAT) sessions in adults with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Participants independently arrange their own ketamine-assisted therapy sessions with a licensed British Columbia provider. The researcher does not administer ketamine or any other substance. The researcher's role is continuous physiological monitoring via a wrist-worn biosensor (EmbracePlus, Empatica) and a structured post-session interview only. The primary purpose is to determine whether the JungleCODE arc-position detection algorithm can identify a consistent, characterisable autonomic trajectory within KAT sessions, and to assess the feasibility of this monitoring protocol. This is a pilot signal characterisation study (N=2-6); no therapeutic outcomes are assessed and no clinical claims are made.

Who can join (things the study team will check)

✅ You may be able to join if…

Adults aged 19 to 65 years
Currently enrolled in or referred for equine-assisted therapy at the study facility
No prior relationship with the therapy horse assigned to their study sessions
Able to wear a chest-strap heart rate monitor comfortably for 35 minutes
Able to provide written informed consent in English
Willing to have sessions video recorded for research purposes

🚫 You may not be able to join if…

Diagnosed cardiac arrhythmia of any type
Implanted cardiac device including pacemaker or implantable cardioverter-defibrillator
Current use of beta-blockers, calcium channel blockers, digoxin, or any other medication known to suppress or significantly alter heart rate variability
Active psychosis or acute psychiatric crisis at time of enrolment
Inability to provide written informed consent
Pregnancy
Prior participation in this study under a different horse pairing

Where this trial is running

Open Medicine Studio, Ganges, British Columbia, Canada

Open the interactive checklist for this trial →

Verify everything on the official ClinicalTrials.gov record. Page updated July 2026.

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