Investigational and Experimental Drugs to Treat Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder
Giacomo Grassi, Chiara Cecchelli, Luisa Vignozzi, Silvia Pacini
Journal of Experimental Pharmacology 2021 DOI: 10.2147/jep.s255375 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Review Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Topics | Serotonin |
| Keywords | Riluzole Psychological intervention Obsessive compulsive Neuromodulation Glutamatergic Intensive care medicine Psychotherapist Obsessive-compulsive spectrum disorders |
| Citations | 42 |
| Key findings | Antidopaminergic drugs remain the first-choice augmentation for treatment-resistant OCD but work only for a subset; glutamatergic and anti-inflammatory agents show promise but inconclusive results, and most ongoing trials focus on neuromodulation and psychotherapy rather than new pharmacological approaches. |
Abstract
Treatment-resistance is a frequent condition for obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). Over the past decades, a lot of effort has been made to address this issue, and several augmentation strategies of serotonergic drugs have been investigated. Antidopaminergic drugs are considered the first choice as augmentation strategy for treatment-resistant OCD patients, but they seem to work only for a subset of patients, and none of them have been officially approved for OCD. Recently, the role of glutamate and inflammation in OCD pathophysiology clearly emerged, and this has led to several investigations on glutamatergic and anti-inflammatory agents. Results seem promising but still inconclusive. Probiotic interventions (considered to modulate the immune systems and the brain activity) are gaining attention in several psychiatric fields but are still at their early stages in the OCD field. Research on new treatment approaches for OCD is moving forward, and more than one hundred interventional trials are ongoing around the world. While the vast majority of these trials involve neuromodulation and psychotherapeutic approaches, only a small proportion (around 20%) involve the investigation of new pharmacological approaches (tolcapone, nabilone, psilocybin, troriluzole, nitrous oxide, rituximab, naproxen, and immunoglobulins). Here, we provide a comprehensive review of investigational and experimental drugs to treat OCD.
Comparable studies
Other narrative reviews on serotonin, most cited first.
Citations in the library
Cited by 2
- Psychedelics for the Treatment of Obsessive–Compulsive Disorder: Efficacy and Proposed Mechanisms The International Journal of Neuropsychopharmacology November 29, 2024
- Clinical Effectiveness of N-Methyl-D-Aspartate (NMDA) Receptor Antagonists in Adult Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) Treatment: A Systematic Review. Cureus April 2023
Cites 7
- Safety, Tolerability, and Efficacy of Psilocybin in 9 Patients With Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder The Journal of Clinical Psychiatry November 15, 2006
- Psychedelics as anti-inflammatory agents International Review of Psychiatry July 4, 2018
- Psilocybin and Obsessive Compulsive Disorder Journal of Psychoactive Drugs October 20, 2014
- Antidepressant Efficacy and Tolerability of Ketamine and Esketamine: A Critical Review. CNS Drugs May 2018
- Exploring Nitrous Oxide as Treatment of Mood Disorders: Basic Concepts. Journal of Clinical Psychopharmacology April 1, 2018
and 2 more in the library