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- Title
Pharmacotherapies in the management of obsessive-compulsive disorder.
- Authors
Blier, Pierre; Habib, Rami; Flament, Martine F.
- Abstract
Few medications are effective in treating obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). As monotherapy, only potent serotonin (5-HT) reuptake inhibitors (SRIs) consistently exert an intrinsic therapeutic action in OCD. Their use in OCD, however, differs from their use in depression. This paper first reviews the evidence supporting the key role of 5-HT as a pivotal neurotransmitter in the anti-OCD response. Then, we describe the practicalities of SRI use, followed by the steps that can be taken when these medications do not produce an adequate clinical response. We provide specifics for the treatment of children and adolescents with OCD. We include a brief description of the brain circuitry involved in OCD and the mechanisms of action of the pharmacologic agents reported to be effective in this disorder, as well as those that are useful in depression but not in OCD. We present this information to promote better understanding of the research endeavours needed to develop new pharmacotherapeutic approaches.
- Subjects
MENTAL health services; OBSESSIVE-compulsive disorder; DRUG therapy; SEROTONIN uptake inhibitors; NEUROTRANSMITTER uptake inhibitors; COMPULSIVE behavior in adolescence; OBSESSIVE-compulsive disorder in children; NEUROSES; SEROTONIN; COMPULSIVE behavior; THERAPEUTICS; GLUTAMIC acid metabolism; ANTIPSYCHOTIC agents; BRAIN; COMPARATIVE studies; RESEARCH methodology; MEDICAL cooperation; NERVOUS system; RESEARCH; EVALUATION research
- Publication
Canadian Journal of Psychiatry, 2006, Vol 51, Issue 7, p417
- ISSN
0706-7437
- Publication type
journal article
- DOI
10.1177/070674370605100703