Innovative Pharmacological Approaches to Eating Disorder Treatment.
Aaron Keshen, Stephen Touyz, Emilie Lacroix, Phillipa Hay, Susan L McElroy
The Psychiatric clinics of North America March 1, 2026 DOI: 10.1016/j.psc.2025.08.014 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Review Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Interventions | Psilocybin Lisdexamfetamine |
| Keywords | Anorexia nervosa Binge-eating disorder Bulimia nervosa Eating disorders Pharmacotherapy Psychedelics Stimulant medications |
| Key findings | Preliminary evidence suggests psilocybin may enhance cognitive flexibility and support psychological interventions in some eating disorders, and lisdexamfetamine offers benefits for binge-eating disorder. |
Abstract
This article explores innovative pharmacologic treatments for eating disorders, focusing on psychedelics, stimulant medications, and other emerging therapies. Preliminary evidence for psychedelics (eg, psilocybin) highlight their potential to enhance cognitive flexibility and support psychological interventions in some eating disorders (eg, anorexia nervosa). Stimulants like lisdexamfetamine offer benefits for binge-eating disorder, while medications for avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder and bulimia nervosa remain understudied. The study underscores the need for robust clinical trials to evaluate these approaches and advocates for integrating novel treatments into existing therapeutic frameworks to address the complex biological and psychological dimensions of eating disorders.