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.
Animal psychopathology
Some treatment has been given to dogs with CCD to observe their reactions and how they are similar or different from how humans would react to the same pharmaceutical or behavioral treatment. A combination of the two approaches has been found to be most effective in lowering the intensity and regularity of OCD in both canines and humans. Pharmaceutically, clomipramine was found to be more effective than an alternative chemical, amitriptyline, in treatments for dogs. One study by Karen Overall discovered that by combining behavioral therapy with the more effective clomipramine, the symptoms of Canine Compulsive Disorder decreased by over 50% for all of the dogs involved in the study. Overall acknowledges that OCD is not something that can be completely cured, but studies like this are still important because Obsessive Compulsive Disorder can be controlled effectively enough so it does not interfere with one's life, a valuable and commonly sought after thing for those who suffer from the disorder.