5-HT2A Agonists: A Novel Therapy for Functional Neurological Disorders?
The International Journal of Neuropsychopharmacology – February 08, 2017
Source: OpenAlex
Summary
Functional neurological disorders, debilitating psychosomatic conditions, pose a major challenge in Medicine with poor prognosis and limited treatments. Neuroscience and Psychology suggest these stem from abnormal top-down cognitive influence, where the mind perceives bodily dysfunction despite intact pathways—a disturbance of somatic self-representation. Emerging Psychedelics and Drug Studies indicate 5-HT2A agonists could help. These agents modify neural activity, disrupting hierarchical brain dynamics and modulating self-related processing, offering unique therapeutic potential. A clinical trial is warranted.
Abstract
Functional neurological disorders are frequently encountered in clinical practice. They have a poor prognosis and treatment options are limited. Their etiology is unknown, but leading theories propose a disturbance of somatic self-representation: the mind perceives dysfunction of a body region despite intact motor and sensory pathways. Central to this model is the concept of an abnormal top-down cognitive influence upon sensorimotor function. There is growing interest in the use of 5-HT2A agonists in the management of neuropsychiatric conditions. Recent studies have shown that these agents induce changes in neural activity that disrupt hierarchical brain dynamics and modulate networks subserving self-related processing. Converging evidence suggests they may hold unique therapeutic potential in functional neurological disorders. This is of importance given the considerable personal and societal burden of this condition and we argue a clinical trial to test this hypothesis is warranted.