Brain sciences

Psychedelics and the Role of Serotonin in Eating Disorders

Updated

Abstract

Preliminary evidence suggests that psilocybin may improve symptoms of eating disorders, including anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa.

  • Serotonergic psychedelics, particularly 5-HTA receptor agonists, are being explored for their potential therapeutic effects on eating disorders.
  • Cognitive rigidity and serotonergic dysregulation are central features associated with eating disorders.
  • Animal models and human studies indicate that psychedelics may promote neuroplasticity and enhance psychological insight.
  • Findings from open-label studies are early and methodologically limited, warranting further investigation.
  • Psychedelic-assisted therapy presents both promise and complexity in treating entrenched eating disorder psychopathology.

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Full Text

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Funding

Competing interests

Author Dean Bilenker was employed by the company SunCloud Health. The remaining authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.
PubMed

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