title: Neuroenhancement strategies for psychiatric disorders: rationale, status quo and perspectives.
abstract: With the growing mechanistic understanding of higher brain functions like learning and memory, vigilance and social cognition, new pharmacological approaches for the treatment of psychiatric disorders arise. Substances used as neuroenhancers for the improvement of cognitive or emotional functions in healthy subjects might provide novel pharmacological opportunities in psychiatry. Intriguingly, drugs like modafinil, D-cycloserine or oxytocin have shown significant improvements in key symptoms in several psychiatric disorders. When used as augmentation strategies, they could either directly interfere with psychopathological impairments or improve response to other treatment modalities like psychotherapy or psychopharmacological drugs. While initial studies yielded promising results, further research on beneficial or adverse effects is required.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Medical Center, Hauptstr 5, 79100 Freiburg, Germany. claus.normann@uniklinik-freiburg.de
authors.forename: Claus
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Normann
authors.forename: Christoph
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Nissen
authors.forename: Lukas
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Frase
mesh_terms: D001921:Brain / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D000697:Central Nervous System Stimulants / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology; D003523:Cycloserine / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004644:Emotions / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D007858:Learning / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D010121:Oxytocin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011613:Psychotherapy / Q000379:methods
chemical_list: D000697:Central Nervous System Stimulants; D010121:Oxytocin; D003523:Cycloserine