Mental Health Research Institute, Parkville, Victoria, Australia.
J Psychiatry Neurosci. 2011 Mar;36(2):78-86. doi: 10.1503/jpn.100057.
There is an expanding field of research investigating the benefits of alternatives to current pharmacological therapies in psychiatry. N-acetylcysteine (NAC) is emerging as a useful agent in the treatment of psychiatric disorders. Like many therapies, the clinical origins of NAC are far removed from its current use in psychiatry. Whereas the mechanisms of NAC are only beginning to be understood, it is likely that NAC is exerting benefits beyond being a precursor to the antioxidant, glutathione, modulating glutamatergic, neurotropic and inflammatory pathways. This review outlines the current literature regarding the use of NAC in disorders including addiction, compulsive and grooming disorders, schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. N-acetylcysteine has shown promising results in populations with these disorders, including those in whom treatment efficacy has previously been limited. The therapeutic potential of this acetylated amino acid is beginning to emerge in the field of psychiatric research.
目前，有一个不断扩大的研究领域，旨在探索替代当前精神病学药物治疗的方法。N-乙酰半胱氨酸（NAC）作为一种治疗精神疾病的有效药物正在兴起。与许多疗法一样，NAC 的临床起源与它目前在精神病学中的应用相去甚远。虽然 NAC 的作用机制才刚刚开始被人们所理解，但 NAC 很可能除了作为抗氧化剂谷胱甘肽的前体外，还具有调节谷氨酸能、神经营养和炎症途径的作用。这篇综述概述了目前关于 NAC 在包括成瘾、强迫症和梳理障碍、精神分裂症和双相情感障碍在内的疾病中的应用的文献。NAC 在这些疾病的人群中显示出了有希望的结果，包括那些以前治疗效果有限的人群。这种乙酰化氨基酸的治疗潜力正在精神病学研究领域崭露头角。
