Good evidence exists to support the use of N-acetylcysteine as an adjunct treatment to reduce the total and negative symptoms of schizophrenia .
N-acetylcysteine also appears to be effective in reducing craving in substance use disorders , especially for the treatment of cocaine and cannabis use among young people , in addition to preventing relapse in already abstinent individuals .
Oral N-acetylcysteine is safe and well tolerated without any considerable adverse effects .
N-acetylcysteine , a sulphur-containing amino acid for the treatment of paracetamol overdose and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease , is a widely available off-the-shelf oral antioxidant supplement in many countries .
With the potential to modulate several neurological pathways , including glutamate dysregulation , oxidative stress , and inflammation that can be beneficial to the brain functions , N-acetylcysteine is being explored as an adjunctive therapy for many psychiatric conditions .
This narrative review synthesis es and presents the current evidence from systematic review s , meta-analyses , and latest clinical trials on N-acetylcysteine for addiction and substance abuse , schizophrenia , obsessive-compulsive and related disorders , and mood disorders .
N-Acetylcysteine Normalizes Glutamate Levels in Cocaine-Dependent Patients: A Randomized Crossover Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy Study
Treatment with N-acetylcysteine ( NAC ) normalizes glutamate ( Glu ) homeostasis and prevents relapse in drug-dependent animals . However , the effect of NAC on brain Glu levels in substance-dependent humans has not yet been investigated . Proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy ( 1H MRS ) was used to investigate Glu changes in the dorsal anterior cingulate cortex ( dACC ) after a single dose of NAC in cocaine-dependent patients and normal controls . In an open-label , r and omized , crossover study , 8 cocaine-dependent patients and 14 healthy controls underwent two scan sessions : one group receiving no compound and the other following a single administration of 2400 mg NAC . The Barratt Impulsiveness Scale was administered to examine the relation between dACC Glu levels and impulsivity . In the medication-free condition , Glu levels in the dACC were significantly higher in cocaine-dependent patients compared with healthy controls . After administration of NAC , Glu levels were reduced in the cocaine-dependent group , whereas NAC had no effect in healthy controls . Higher baseline Glu levels were associated with higher impulsivity , and both were predictive of greater NAC-induced Glu reduction . The current findings indicate that NAC can normalize elevated Glu levels in cocaine-dependent patients . These findings may have important implication s for treatment , because abnormal Glu levels are related to relapse , and treatment with NAC prevented relapse in animal studies . Furthermore , clinical studies have indicated beneficial effects of NAC in cocaine-dependent patients , and the current study suggests that these beneficial effects might in part be mediated by the ability of NAC to normalize glutamatergic abnormalities
Good evidence exists to support the use of N-acetylcysteine as an adjunct treatment to reduce the total and negative symptoms of schizophrenia .
N-acetylcysteine also appears to be effective in reducing craving in substance use disorders , especially for the treatment of cocaine and cannabis use among young people , in addition to preventing relapse in already abstinent individuals .
Oral N-acetylcysteine is safe and well tolerated without any considerable adverse effects .
N-acetylcysteine , a sulphur-containing amino acid for the treatment of paracetamol overdose and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease , is a widely available off-the-shelf oral antioxidant supplement in many countries .
With the potential to modulate several neurological pathways , including glutamate dysregulation , oxidative stress , and inflammation that can be beneficial to the brain functions , N-acetylcysteine is being explored as an adjunctive therapy for many psychiatric conditions .
This narrative review synthesis es and presents the current evidence from systematic review s , meta-analyses , and latest clinical trials on N-acetylcysteine for addiction and substance abuse , schizophrenia , obsessive-compulsive and related disorders , and mood disorders .