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.
Treatments for PTSD
Antidepressants are widely used in the treatment of PTSD and have consistently shown efficacy, though the magnitude of improvement is often modest. The most popular types of antidepressants are SSRIs, atypical antidepressants, tricyclic antidepressants (TCAs), and monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOs). SSRI are most often used as they are considered safer than TCAs and MAOIs. To date, only sertraline and paroxetine carry FDA approval for PTSD, though in general, all SSRIs seem similarly effective. These medications appear to be helpful across all PTSD symptoms. According to the APA Practice Guidelines, "SSRIs have proven efficacy for PTSD symptoms and related functional problems".