D-Cycloserine as an Augmentation Strategy for Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Anxiety Disorders: An Update

Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) has been shown to be an effective intervention for anxiety disorders. However, despite its proven efficacy, some patients fail to respond to an adequate course of treatment. In attempts to improve the efficacy of CBT, researchers have augmented the core learning processes of the intervention with d-cycloserine (DCS), an N-Methyl-D-Aspartate partial agonist. This article reviews the current literature on DCS as an augmentation strategy for CBT for anxiety disorders. We will describe the memory enhancing properties of DCS, review findings from randomized controlled studies of DCS in anxious populations and discuss mechanism, dosing and timing issues.