Delayed- Maturation Theory of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder
Drug treatment of OCD may be assumed to affect a proposed functional imbalance between the frontal lobes and other parts of the brain. Serotonin reuptake inhibitors, SRI, especially potent ones given at high doses over long periods of time, are often effective in the treatment of obsessive-compulsive disorder. However, a large percentage of patients do not respond to treatment with the SRI, and those who do respond often do not fully remit, which should be the standard goal of treatment in OCD. If a patient has been treated for several months and has not yet responded to treatment with several types of SRI medication, the physician should perform a careful assessment of resistant and/or residual clinical symptoms. Any comorbid conditions to determine which next-step treatment would be the most appropriate. One strategy for patients who have not responded to treatment with a SRI is to switch them to aserotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors.
Psychopathy
Psychiatric medications may also alleviate co-occurring conditions sometimes associated with the disorder or with symptoms such as aggression or impulsivity, including antipsychotic, antidepressant or mood-stabilizing medications, although none have yet been approved by the FDA for this purpose. For example, a study found that the antipsychotic clozapine may be effective in reducing various behavioral dysfunctions in a sample of high-security hospital inpatients with antisocial personality disorder and psychopathic traits. However, research into the pharmacological treatment of psychopathy and the related condition antisocial personality disorder is minimal, with much of the knowledge in this area being extrapolations based on what is known about pharmacology in other mental disorders.