Psychedelics for treatment of negative symptoms and depressive symptoms in schizophrenia spectrum disorder: A narrative review - PubMed
4 hours ago
- #Psychedelics
- #Schizophrenia
- #Depression
- Psychedelics are being reconsidered for psychiatric treatments, especially for treatment-resistant depression.
- Potential benefits of psychedelics for depressive and negative symptoms in schizophrenia spectrum disorders (SSDs) are being explored.
- Shared neurobiological disturbances between schizophrenia and major depressive disorder include dopamine, glutamate, and neuroplasticity issues.
- Psychedelics may help by increasing network flexibility and recalibrating maladaptive connectivity.
- Preclinical studies indicate psychedelics can enhance dendritic spine density, BDNF expression, and reward sensitivity.
- Clinical data is limited, with only one ongoing early-phase trial (MDMA in schizophrenia) and no randomized trials for psilocybin or LSD in SSDs.
- Psychedelics remain biologically plausible but unproven for treating depressive and negative symptoms in SSDs.
- Safety-focused early-phase studies in clinically stable patients are essential before broader clinical use.