Psilocybin in pharmacotherapy of obsessive-compulsive disorder
Pharmacological Reports – August 01, 2024
Source: OpenAlex
Summary
For up to 40% of individuals with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), current pharmacotherapy is ineffective, creating a critical need for new medicine in psychiatry. Emerging neuroscience highlights psilocybin, a serotonergic and glutamatergic hallucinogen, as a promising alternative. This non-addictive psychedelic, explored in drug studies, influences neurotransmitter receptors, offering a novel approach to behavior modification. Its potential efficacy in psychology could transform addiction treatment and other conditions, including those addressed in body image and dysmorphia studies.
Abstract
Abstract Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is a chronic mental disease that affects approximately 2% of the population. Obsessions and compulsions are troublesome for patients and may disturb their everyday activities. The pathogenesis of this disease is still not fully elucidated, but dysfunctions of serotonin-, dopamine- and glutamate-mediated neurotransmission together with early maladaptive schemas seem of importance. Pharmacological treatment includes drugs affecting the serotoninergic, dopaminergic, and glutamatergic systems, such as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs). Providing that up to 40% of patients with OCD are resistant to the currently available medications, there is a need for novel and effective therapies. Recent discoveries suggest that psilocybin, a non-physically addictive psychoactive substance, may ameliorate disease symptoms. When used in appropriate doses and under strict clinical control, psilocybin appears as a valuable treatment for OCD. This narrative article provides a thorough overview of OCD’s etiology, current treatment options, and the emerging evidence supporting psilocybin’s efficacy in managing OCD symptoms.