Pharmacotherapeutic strategies for the treatment of anorexia nervosa - novel targets to break a vicious cycle.
Expert opinion on pharmacotherapy December 1, 2024 Millie C Kirchberg, Claire Pinson, Guido K W Frank 9 citations
Anorexia nervosa has one of the highest mortality rates among mental illnesses, yet no approved pharmacological treatments exist. This narrative review examines traditional pharmacotherapy and novel treatments—including dissociative anesthetics, psychedelics, cannabinoids, hormones, neurosteroids, and ketogenic nutrition—for altering neurobiology and behavior. The authors recommend a neuroscience-based medication approach targeting dopamine receptors to enhance cognitive flexibility and reduce food-related dread when psychotherapy fails. Treating comorbid anxiety, depression, and obsessive-compulsive disorder is essential, as these conditions persist even after successful anorexia treatment. Novel strategies show promise for improving mood and reducing specific anorexia psychopathology and may soon enter clinical practice.