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Obsessive-compulsive spectrum disorders: effective treatment with paroxetine
A V Ravindran1, Y D Lapierre, H Anisman
1Department of Psychiatry and Cellular & Molecular Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ontario.
Canadian Journal of Psychiatry. Revue Canadienne De Psychiatrie
|November 24, 1999
Summary
Obsessive-compulsive spectrum disorders, including collecting and skin-picking, responded well to paroxetine treatment. This suggests selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) may effectively treat these conditions.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Psychiatry
- Pharmacology
Background:
- Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is often treated with selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs).
- The efficacy of SSRIs for related obsessive-compulsive spectrum disorders (OCSDs) remains less understood.
Observation:
- This study reviewed case histories of patients diagnosed with OCSDs, specifically compulsive collecting, skin-picking, and trichotillomania.
- These patients were prescribed paroxetine, a type of SSRI.
Findings:
- All reviewed patients with OCSDs experienced successful treatment outcomes when prescribed paroxetine.
- The results indicate a positive therapeutic response to paroxetine across different OCSDs.
Implications:
- Obsessive-compulsive spectrum disorders may stem from a common serotonin-related dysfunction.
- SSRIs, such as paroxetine, show potential as an effective pharmacological treatment for OCSDs.
- Further research into serotonin pathways could illuminate novel therapeutic strategies for these conditions.
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