Psychedelic treatments show promise for OCD while cannabis doesn't, review finds

"A recent review of alternative treatments for obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) indicates that psychedelic treatments show promise for the disorder while cannabis does not. Dr Michael Van Ameringen, a psychiatry professor at McMaster University in Ontario, Canada and lead author of the review published in the Journal of Psychiatric Research, said that 40-60 % of OCD patients get either partial or no relief with available treatments, including SSRIs and exposure and response prevention therapy."

"While psychedelics and cannabinoids have become part of the conversation surrounding OCD a disorder characterized by intrusive, obsessive thoughts and/or compulsive behaviors there is a much larger body of published evidence on the efficacy of these substances for more common conditions, like depression and anxiety. We wanted to hone down and really understand, is there evidence for these things that have been talked about to be used as the next step treatments? Van Ameringen explained."

"Upon compiling available evidence, Van Ameringen and his team found stronger signals for the efficacy of psychedelics, specifically psilocybin (the psychoactive component of magic mushrooms,) than for cannabinoids like THC and CBD. Van Ameringen theorizes that the difference is related to how these substances interact with areas of the brain related to OCD. While cannabinoids activate the brain's CB1 receptors, which regulate symptoms like compulsions and anxiety, available evidence shows they don't offer lasting relief from OCD symptoms."

Psychedelics, particularly psilocybin, show stronger signals of efficacy for obsessive compulsive disorder compared with cannabinoids such as THC and CBD. Forty to sixty percent of OCD patients obtain partial or no relief from current treatments including SSRIs and exposure and response prevention therapy. Cannabinoids activate CB1 receptors that regulate compulsions and anxiety but do not provide lasting symptom relief. Psilocybin can reduce connectivity in the default mode network, which is involved in self-referential thinking and rumination and is highly active in OCD. Limited published literature prompted inclusion of conference presentations and preliminary unpublished findings.

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