An Introduction to OCD
by Holly Greenberg
About 1 in 100 children are thought to suffer from Obsessive Compulsive Disorder
or OCD, making OCD one of the most common childhood psychiatric disorders. Despite
its prevalence, however, OCD is difficult to diagnose, often goes unrecognized
and untreated, or is treated with therapies that are not effective.
The following information is provided to help you, as parents, understand OCD
so that you can help your child get the support and services that he or she needs. More
specifically, we hope this article will help you begin to know the identifying
signs and symptoms of OCD.
To read the full article, click here. |
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SSRIs in the Treatment of Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder
by Cartwright C, Hollander E
Department of Psychiatry, University of Stellenbosch, Tygerberg, W Cape.
Depress Anxiety 1998; 8 Suppl 1:105-13
The introduction of the SSRIs (selective serotonin reuptake
inhibitors) over the past decade has provided exciting
new opportunities for the treatment of obsessive-compulsive
disorder (OCD). The serotonin hypothesis, based on the
preferential response of OCD to the serotonin reuptake
inhibitor, clomipramine, paved the way for research into
the efficacy of the SSRIs in the treatment of this disorder.
Large, controlled, multicenter studies have found clomipramine
and the SSRIs, fluoxetine, fluvoxamine, sertraline, and
paroxetine, to be effective and safe in the treatment
of OCD. Meta-analytic studies have reported that clomipramine
is superior to the SSRIs; however, direct head-to-head
comparisons suggest equal efficacy. As SSRIs have a more
favorable side-effect profile they may be preferable
as first-line treatment of OCD. Improvement following
adequate OCD drug treatment is frequently partial whereupon
augmentation strategies may become necessary. High rates
of relapse have been reported on discontinuation of SRI
treatment. Long-term maintenance treatment has been found
to be effective in sustaining initial therapeutic gains
and bringing about further improvement.
To read the full article, click here:
http://www.biopsychiatry.com/ocd.htm |
