XML Feed for RxPG News   Add RxPG News Headlines to My Yahoo!   Javascript Syndication for RxPG News

Research Health World General
 
  Home
 
 Latest Research
 Cancer
 Psychiatry
  Depression
  Neuropsychiatry
  Personality Disorders
  Bulimia
  Anxiety
   Phobia
   Panic Disorders
   Stress
   PTSD
   GAD
   Agoraphobia
   OCD
   Social Phobia
  Substance Abuse
  Suicide
  CFS
  Psychoses
  Child Psychiatry
  Learning-Disabilities
  Psychology
  Forensic Psychiatry
  Mood Disorders
  Sleep Disorders
  Peri-Natal Psychiatry
  Psychotherapy
  Anorexia Nervosa
 Genetics
 Surgery
 Aging
 Ophthalmology
 Gynaecology
 Neurosciences
 Pharmacology
 Cardiology
 Obstetrics
 Infectious Diseases
 Respiratory Medicine
 Pathology
 Endocrinology
 Immunology
 Nephrology
 Gastroenterology
 Biotechnology
 Radiology
 Dermatology
 Microbiology
 Haematology
 Dental
 ENT
 Environment
 Embryology
 Orthopedics
 Metabolism
 Anaethesia
 Paediatrics
 Public Health
 Urology
 Musculoskeletal
 Clinical Trials
 Physiology
 Biochemistry
 Cytology
 Traumatology
 Rheumatology
 
 Medical News
 Health
 Opinion
 Healthcare
 Professionals
 Launch
 Awards & Prizes
 
 Careers
 Medical
 Nursing
 Dental
 
 Special Topics
 Euthanasia
 Ethics
 Evolution
 Odd Medical News
 Feature
 
 World News
 Tsunami
 Epidemics
 Climate
 Business
 
 India
Search

Last Updated: Nov 18, 2006 - 12:32:53 PM

OCD Channel
subscribe to OCD newsletter

Latest Research : Psychiatry : Anxiety : OCD

   DISCUSS   |   EMAIL   |   PRINT
Riluzole eases obsessive-compulsive symptoms
Jul 30, 2005 - 4:55:00 PM, Reviewed by: Dr.

OCD currently is treated with serotonin reuptake inhibitors, cognitive behavioral therapy and dopamine antagonists, which reduce symptoms in 40-60 percent of patients. "However, a number of patients remain dramatically symptomatic even with the combination of pharmacotherapy and cognitive behavioral therapy," Coric said.

 
A medication used to ease symptoms of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or Lou Gehrig's disease, also is helpful in treating people with treatment-resistant obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), according to a pilot study at Yale School of Medicine.

Although the study included only 13 patients, the preliminary results are promising for persons who have found no relief using other medications and cognitive behavioral therapy, said the first author, Vladimir Coric, M.D., assistant clinical professor in the Department of Psychiatry and director of the Yale OCD clinic.

"Riluzole appears to have significant antiobsessional, antidepressant, and antianxiety properties," said Coric, who will be presenting the data Friday at the Obsessive-Compulsive Foundation annual conference in San Diego.

OCD currently is treated with serotonin reuptake inhibitors, cognitive behavioral therapy and dopamine antagonists, which reduce symptoms in 40-60 percent of patients. "However, a number of patients remain dramatically symptomatic even with the combination of pharmacotherapy and cognitive behavioral therapy," Coric said.

OCD symptoms include obsessive checking, cleaning, washing, counting, hoarding, touching, tapping, ordering, arranging, rubbing, and other repetitive behaviors. Coric said treatment-resistant OCD is one of the few psychiatric indications for neurosurgical intervention. "Novel therapeutic strategies are urgently needed," he said.

Since recent neuroimaging studies suggest that individuals with OCD have abnormalities in corticostriatal glutamate function, Coric and his colleagues tested riluzole, a glutamate modulating agent, on patients with OCD. Glutamate is the most abundant excitatory neurotransmitter in the brain, but when in excess may cause neurotoxicity. Seven of the patients treated with riluzole experienced a 35 percent reduction in symptoms and five were categorized as responsive to the treatment. One patient left the study.

"The use of glutamate modulating agents, such as riluzole, may represent a novel treatment intervention for certain anxiety and mood disorders," Coric said.

 

- Biological Psychiatry (Online July 5, 2005)
 

http://www.yale.edu/

 
Subscribe to OCD Newsletter
E-mail Address:

 

Co-authors include Sarper Taskiran, M.D., Christopher Pittenger, Suzanne Wasylink, Daniel Mathalon, M.D., Gerald Valentine, John Saksa, Yu-te Wu, Ralitza Gueorguieva, Gerard Sanacora, M.D., and Robert Malison, M.D. John Krystal, M.D., was senior author.

The study was supported in part by the NARSAD Young Investigator Award, the National Institute of Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, and the National Institute of Health.


Related OCD News

Men, women have similar rates of compulsive buying
Kids with OCD bullied more than others
OCD has multiple genetic associations
Riluzole eases obsessive-compulsive symptoms


For any corrections of factual information, to contact the editors or to send any medical news or health news press releases, use feedback form

Top of Page

 

© Copyright 2004 onwards by RxPG Medical Solutions Private Limited
Contact Us