The symptoms of apathy and irritability are common between these two conditions. OPD is somewhat similar to temporal lobe epilepsy, as patients who have chronic epilepsy may also express aggressive behaviours. Another similar symptom between Temporal lobe epilepsy and OPD is epileptic seizures. The symptom of epileptic seizure has influence on patients personality that means it causes behavioural alterations. Temporal lobe epilepsy is associated with the hyperexcitability of the medial temporal lobe of patients. Treatment
Patients with OPD show a wide variety of sudden behavioural changes and dysfunctions. There is little information about the treatment of OPD. The pharmacological approach is the most common therapy among patients with OPD. However, the choice of drug therapy relies on the seriousness of patients situation and what symptoms are shown. The choice and administration of specific drugs contribute to the reduction of symptoms of OPD. For this reason, it is crucial for patients treatment to be assessed by clinical psychologists and psychiatrists before the administration of drugs. The dysfunctions in expression of behaviour of patients with OPD and the development of symptom of irritability, which are caused by aggressive and self-injurious behaviours, can be dealt with the administration of carbamazepine. Moreover, the symptoms of this disorder can be decreased by the administration of valproic acid. Also, emotional irritability and signs of depression can be dealt with the use of nortriptyline and low-dose thioridazine. Except from the symptom of irritability, patients express aggressive behaviours. For effective treatment of anger and aggression, carbamazepine, phenobarbital, benztropine and haloperidol may be used.
The OPD is included in a group of personality and behavioural disorders - in the ICD-10 this is "Personality and behavioural disorders due to brain disease, damage and dysfunction", and in the ICD-11 this is "Secondary Mental or Behavioural Syndromes Associated with Disorders or Diseases Classified Elsewhere". This mental health disorder can be caused by disease, brain damages or dysfunctions in specific brain areas in frontal lobe. The most common reason for this profound change in personality is the traumatic brain injury. Children whose brain areas have been injured or damaged, may present with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), oppositional defiant disorder or OPD.OPD is most often caused by lesions in three brain areas of frontal lobe: traumatic brain injuries in orbitofrontal cortex, anterior cingulate cortex and dorsolateral prefrontal cortex. OPD may also be caused by lesions in other circumscribed brain areas.Another common feature of personality of patients with OPD is their dysfunctional and maladaptive behaviour that causes serious problems in these patients, because they face problems with pursuit and achievement of their goals. Patients with OPD express a feeling of unreasonable satisfaction and euphoria. Patients can show aggressive behaviour and these dysfunctions in behaviour can have effects on interpersonal relationships. One explanation of signs of anger and aggression is due to an inability to handle their impulses, this type of aggression being called "impulsive aggression". Diagnosis
ICD-11
In the ICD-11, the condition is called secondary personality change rather than organic personality disorder.