Efficacy of nicotine administration on obsessions and compulsions in OCD: a systematic review

Annals of General Psychiatry

Valentina Roselli¹  Annalisa Maraone¹  Massimo Biondi¹  Massimo Pasquini¹  Isabella Berardelli²  Georgios D. Kotzalidis²  Daria Piacentino³ 

[1] Department of Human Neurosciences, Sapienza University, Policlinico Umberto I, Rome, Italy;NESMOS Department (Neurosciences, Mental Health, and Sensory Organs), School of Medicine and Psychology, Sapienza University, Sant’Andrea Hospital, Rome, Italy;NESMOS Department (Neurosciences, Mental Health, and Sensory Organs), School of Medicine and Psychology, Sapienza University, Sant’Andrea Hospital, Rome, Italy;Department of Human Neurosciences, Sapienza University, Policlinico Umberto I, Rome, Italy;Clinical Psychoneuroendocrinology and Neuropsychopharmacology Section, National Institute On Drug Abuse Intramural Research Program and National Institute On Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism Division of Intramural Clinical and Biological Research, National Institutes of Health, Baltimore, MD, USA;

关键词: Checking behaviour;    Cognitive functions;    Nicotine;    Obsessive–compulsive disorder;    Treatment;   

DOI  :  10.1186/s12991-020-00309-z

来源: Springer

【 摘 要 】

BackgroundPreliminary studies have tested nicotine as a novel treatment for OCD patients who respond partially/incompletely or not at all to first and second-line treatment strategies, with the former represented by SSRIs or clomipramine, and the latter by switching to another SSRI, or augmentation with atypical antipsychotics, and/or combination with/switching to cognitive–behavioural therapy. Some studies found nicotine-induced reduction of obsessive thoughts and/or compulsive behaviour in OCD patients. We aimed to evaluate the efficacy of nicotine administration in OCD patients.MethodsWe searched the PubMed, ScienceDirect Scopus, CINHAL, Cochrane, PsycINFO/PsycARTICLES, and EMBASE databases from inception to the present for relevant papers. The ‘Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analyses’ (PRISMA) standards were used. We included all studies focusing on the effects of nicotine administration on OCD patients’ obsessions or compulsions. Studies could be open-label, cross-sectional, randomized controlled trials, case series or case reports.ResultsA total of five studies could be included. Nicotine administration may ameliorate behavioural features and recurrent thoughts of severe, treatment-resistant OCD patients; however, in one study it was not associated with OC symptom improvement or cognitive enhancement across various executive function subdomains.ConclusionsAlthough encouraging, the initial positive response from the use of nicotine in OCD needs testing in large controlled studies. This, however, raises ethical issues related to nicotine administration, due to its addiction potential, which were not addressed in the limited literature we examined. As an alternative, novel treatments with drugs able to mimic only the positive effects of nicotine could be implemented.

【 授权许可】

CC BY