Emerging Interventions in Behavioral Addictions: A Narrative Review of Psychedelics and Neuromodulation.
Krista Ulisse, Jehad Albitar, Jourdan Aromin, James H. Berry
Brain Sciences September 12, 2025 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci15090980 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Narrative review Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Interventions | Psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy Neuromodulation |
| Topics | Psychedelic-assisted therapy Addiction |
| Keywords | Psychedelics & neuromodulation Brain stimulation Novel treatments Alternative therapies Innovative interventions Behavioral addictions Compulsive behaviors Problem gambling Internet addiction Impulse control disorders Addictive behaviors Addiction treatment Rehabilitation Recovery Therapeutic interventions Substance abuse treatment Therapeutic innovation Emerging therapies Breakthrough treatments Advanced interventions |
| Citations | 5 |
| Key findings | Psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy and neuromodulation may facilitate recovery in behavioral addictions by targeting disrupted reward, executive control, and stress regulation networks. |
Abstract
Addiction remains a persistent public health crisis, marked by poor treatment retention and limited pharmacotherapy options. Emerging treatments, such as psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy and neuromodulation, offer promising avenues for circuit-level interventions in behavioral addictions. This narrative review synthesizes the current landscape of psychedelic compounds and neuromodulation techniques with a focus on their mechanisms of action, applications in specific behavioral addictions, and translational potential. By targeting disrupted reward, executive control, and stress regulation networks, these interventions may facilitate meaningful recovery and long-term remission in otherwise treatment refractory cases. We highlight key findings, current research limitations, and future directions in integrating these novel therapies into the treatment of gambling disorder; internet gaming disorder/gaming disorder, predominantly online; internet use disorder; and compulsive sexual behavior disorder.
Comparable studies
Other narrative reviews on addiction, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Classic psychedelics: An integrative review of epidemiology, therapeutics, mystical experience, and brain network function. General population | 2019 | Integrative review | |
| Mindfulness meditation–based pain relief: a mechanistic account | 2016 | Review | |
| Psychedelics as anti-inflammatory agents Animal models and cellular studies | 2018 | Review | |
| A narrative review of yoga and mindfulness as complementary therapies for addiction. | 2013 | Review | |
| The neuropsychopharmacology of cannabis: A review of human imaging studies | 2018 | Review |
Citations in the library
Cites 18
- The entropic brain: a theory of conscious states informed by neuroimaging research with psychedelic drugs Frontiers in Human Neuroscience 2014
- REBUS and the Anarchic Brain: Toward a Unified Model of the Brain Action of Psychedelics Pharmacological Reviews June 20, 2019
- Global Street Food: la cocina de la calle Diseño interior 2009
- Attenuation of Antidepressant Effects of Ketamine by Opioid Receptor Antagonism American Journal of Psychiatry August 29, 2018
- Psychedelics and Neuroplasticity: A Systematic Review Unraveling the Biological Underpinnings of Psychedelics Frontiers in Psychiatry September 10, 2021
and 13 more in the library