The Neurocircuitry of Substance Use Disorder, Treatment, and Change: A Resource for Clinical Psychiatrists
Caesar G. Imperio, Frances R. Levin, Diana Martínez
American Journal of Psychiatry October 9, 2024 DOI: 10.1176/appi.ajp.20231023 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Review Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Interventions | pharmacotherapy ketamine psilocybin transcranial magnetic stimulation |
| Topics | Addiction Ketamine Psilocybin |
| Keywords | Craving Substance use Transcranial magnetic stimulation Substance abuse Pharmacotherapy Psychotherapist |
| Citations | 9 |
| Key findings | Pharmacotherapy targeting craving, intoxication, and withdrawal, along with neuroplasticity-promoting treatments like ketamine, psilocybin, and TMS, are discussed as promising approaches for treating substance use disorder. |
Abstract
Substance use disorder (SUD) is common in psychiatric patients and has a negative impact on health and well-being. However, SUD often goes untreated, and there is a need for psychiatrists, of all specialties, to address this pervasive clinical problem. In this review, the authors' goal is to provide a resource that describes treatments for SUD, using neuroscience as a framework. They discuss the effect of pharmacotherapy on craving, intoxication, and withdrawal and its ability to interrupt the cycle of substance use in SUD. The neuroscience of stress is reviewed, including medications targeting neurotransmitter systems activated by alarm and fear. Neuroplasticity and promising treatments that use this mechanism, including ketamine, psilocybin, and transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS), are discussed. The authors conclude by listing resources and practice guidelines for physicians interested in learning more about treatments for SUD.
Comparable studies
Other narrative reviews on ketamine for addiction, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Predictors of Response to Ketamine in Treatment Resistant Major Depressive Disorder and Bipolar Disorder Patients with treatment-resistant depressive symptoms as part of major depressive... | 2018 | Narrative review | |
| Can psychedelic compounds play a part in drug dependence therapy? Patients with substance dependency | 2015 | Review | |
| Therapeutic potential of ketamine for alcohol use disorder. | 2021 | Review | |
| Non-parenteral Ketamine for Depression: A Practical Discussion on Addiction Potential and Recommendations for Judicious Prescribing | 2022 | Review | |
| Ketamine, an Old–New Drug: Uses and Abuses | 2023 | Review |
Citations in the library
Cited by 4
- Novel psychedelic interventions for post-traumatic stress disorder and their promise for precision medicine. Therapeutic Advances in Psychopharmacology December 4, 2025
- Psychedelics and the Extracellular Matrix: Rewiring Neuroplasticity and Metaplasticity for Next-Generation Psychiatric Therapies Biological Psychiatry February 1, 2026
- Psilocybin and Mental Health Outcomes: Scoping Review with ☸SAIMSARA SAIMSARA Journal June 15, 2026
- Psychedelics for the Treatment of Substance Use Disorder Pharmaceutical Science October 13, 2025
Cites 13
- Percentage of Heavy Drinking Days Following Psilocybin-Assisted Psychotherapy vs Placebo in the Treatment of Adult Patients With Alcohol Use Disorder JAMA Psychiatry August 24, 2022
- Towards an understanding of psychedelic-induced neuroplasticity. Neuropsychopharmacology 2023
- Neuroplasticity as a convergent mechanism of ketamine and classical psychedelics TIPS - Trends in Pharmacological Sciences September 24, 2021
- Ketamine and rapid antidepressant action: new treatments and novel synaptic signaling mechanisms Neuropsychopharmacology July 24, 2023
- A Single Ketamine Infusion Combined With Motivational Enhancement Therapy for Alcohol Use Disorder: A Randomized Midazolam-Controlled Pilot Trial. American Journal of Psychiatry December 2, 2019
and 8 more in the library