Psychedelics as pharmacotherapeutics for substance use disorders: A scoping review on clinical trials and perspectives on underlying neurobiology

Psychedelics are being studied as treatments for substance use disorders (SUDs), not just depression. A scoping review identified 34 clinical trials targeting alcohol, cannabis, cocaine, methamphetamine, nicotine, and opioid use disorders, mostly open-label without placebo controls. Alcohol use disorder was the most common target. From animal studies, four publications measured dopamine in the nucleus accumbens after psilocybin or MDMA. High-dose psilocybin caused a sustained mild increase in dopamine, suggesting it may help restore tonic dopamine levels, which could be relevant for treating addiction.

Study at a glance

Abstract

Abstract Psychedelics have garnered great attention in recent years as treatments for major depressive disorder (MDD) and treatment‐resistant depression because of their ability to alter consciousness and afflicted cognitive processes with lasting effects. We aimed to characterise how psychedelics are currently being investigated to treat substance use disorders (SUDs). Additionally, we aimed to summarise the available literature on the dopaminergic consequences of classic psychedelics in the nucleus accumbens (NAc), a foundational component of SUDs, to understand how psychedelics may be therapeutically relevant for SUDs from a neurobiological perspective. Two scoping review approaches adhering to PRISMA‐SCR guidelines were conducted. The first screened for ongoing clinical trials utilising psychedelics for SUD treatment registered at ClinicalTrials.gov . The second screened for in vivo microdialysis studies measuring psychedelic‐induced changes in extracellular NAc dopamine in rats, found using PubMed, SCOPUS or Google Scholar. Thirty‐four unique clinical trials were identified targeting alcohol, cannabis, cocaine, methamphetamine, nicotine, and opioid use disorders and mostly consisting of open‐label trials lacking placebo‐treated controls. The most common SUD investigated was alcohol use disorder (AUD). Following stringent exclusion criteria, four publications were identified that measured extracellular dopamine in the NAc following systemic administration of psilocybin or 3,4‐methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA). A sustained mild increase of dopamine was observed that was unique to high‐dose psilocybin. In addition to known therapeutic mechanisms of psychedelics, findings herein suggest that psilocybin may support dopamine homeostasis through restoration of tonic dopamine levels.