Obsessive-compulsive disorder and spectrum across the life span

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Psychiatry
• Pharmacology

Background:

• A proposed obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) spectrum includes disorders with shared clinical symptoms, neurobiology, and treatment responses.
• Three clusters within the OCD spectrum are identified: body dysmorphic disorder (BDD), pathological gambling (PG), and autism, sharing phenotypic features.

Purpose of the Study:

• To examine the phenomenology, neurobiology, and pharmacotherapy of BDD, PG, and autism as examples within the OCD spectrum.
• To identify shared biological factors between OCD and these disorders that correlate with repetitive behavior severity.
• To evaluate the effectiveness of targeted treatments, particularly selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), for associated behaviors.

Main Methods:

• Review of existing literature on the phenomenology, neurobiology, and pharmacotherapy of BDD, PG, and autism.
• Comparative analysis of biological factors and treatment responses across OCD and the selected disorders.
• Focus on SSRI treatment, specifically fluvoxamine, as a case study.

Main Results:

• BDD exhibits increased limbic region activity, similar to OCD.
• PG shows evidence of serotonin (5-HT) function and receptor deficiencies.
• Autism presents with restricted interests and repetitive behaviors potentially influenced by serotonergic mechanisms.

Conclusions:

• Shared biological factors link OCD and disorders like BDD, PG, and autism, correlating with repetitive behavior severity.
• Targeted treatments, such as SSRIs, are effective for the behaviors associated with these spectrum disorders.
• Fluvoxamine, an SSRI, is highlighted as a potentially effective treatment, warranting further investigation.