Expert Opinion on Pharmacotherapy
March 24, 2026
Donatella Marazziti, Matteo Gambini, Riccardo Gurrieri et al.
INTRODUCTION: After decades of regulatory marginalization, psychedelic compounds have reemerged as promising therapeutic tools in psychiatry, driven by unmet clinical needs in treatment-resistant mental disorders and by growing evidence of rapid and sustained effects on mood, cognition, and behavior. AREAS COVERED: This narrative review critically examined the current clinical and regulatory...
Expert Opinion on Pharmacotherapy
February 1, 2026
Alessandro Cuomo, Mario Pinzi, Andrea Fagiolini
Major depressive disorder (MDD) remains a leading global cause of disability, with substantial clinical and societal burden. Despite the wide availability of antidepressants, many patients experience inadequate response, partial remission, or treatment-resistant depression. Emerging pharmacological options beyond traditional monoaminergic agents have shown promise in phase 3 clinical trials,...
Expert Opinion on Pharmacotherapy
January 22, 2026
Diana Orsini, Sara Di Luch, Gabrielle F. M. Lovell et al.
Evidence supporting the use of intravenous ketamine and intranasal esketamine for depression has dramatically increased with a large number of clinical trials and real-world effectiveness studies supporting antidepressant effects. Larger studies have provided reassuring data supporting an adequate safety profile, including safety data with long-term treatment. Alternative routes of...
Expert Opinion on Pharmacotherapy
February 1, 2025
Alejandra Pulido-Saavedra, Anna Borelli, Razi Kitaneh et al.
Substance use disorders (SUDs) are a public health issue, with only some having FDA-approved indicated treatments and these having high attrition. Consequently, there has been interest in novel interventions (e.g. psychedelics that target 5-HT2A receptors) with some promising results. In this narrative review, we aim to focus on the role of the 5-HT2A receptors on the effectiveness of the...
Expert Opinion on Pharmacotherapy
December 1, 2024
Millie C Kirchberg, Claire Pinson, Guido K W Frank
9 citations
Anorexia nervosa (AN) has one of the highest mortality rates of all mental illnesses. No approved pharmacological treatments exist for AN, but novel neurobiological targets show promise. Studies show that in individuals with AN, there are alterations in brain neurotransmitter signaling, alongside associated mental rigidity and comorbid anxiety and depression. Available and new therapies could...
Expert Opinion on Pharmacotherapy
March 1, 2024
Georgios D Kotzalidis, Federica Fiaschè, Alessandro Alcibiade et al.
3 citations
Suicidal behavior is relatively frequent in patients with bipolar disorder (BD) and constitutes their most frequent cause of death. Suicide rates remain high in patients with BD despite adherence to guidelines recommending lithium as first line, and/or antidepressants, antipsychotics, psychotherapy, psychosocial interventions, and electroconvulsive therapy. Hence the need to identify more...
Expert Opinion on Pharmacotherapy
November 10, 2023
Michail Kalfas, Rosie H Taylor, Dimosthenis Tsapekos et al.
28 citations
Psychedelic therapy has created a paradigm shift in the treatment of TRD, as it can maximize therapeutic benefits and minimize potential risks. Psilocybin holds promise as a potential game-changer in the treatment of TRD, with initial evidence suggesting a rapid antidepressant effect sustained for some responders for at least 3 months. Nevertheless, further adequately powered, double-blind,...