ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: To study the long-term course and outcome of juvenile obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). METHOD: Two to 9-year follow-up of largely self-referred, drug-naïve subjects (n = 58) by employing catch-up longitudinal design. RESULTS: The mean follow-up period was 5 years. Nearly three-fourth of the sample was adequately treated with medications. Only 21% of the subjects had clinical OCD at follow-up and 48% were in true remission (no OCD and not on treatment). Earlier age-at-onset was associated with better course and outcome. CONCLUSION: Juvenile OCD has favorable outcome. Our findings are applicable to psychiatric hospital settings in India and perhaps to the general psychiatric settings in the Western countries. Whether the better outcome in this sample is the result of differing clinical characteristics or because of true cross-cultural variation in the course needs further exploration. It is speculated that early onset OCD could be a subtype of juvenile OCD with better outcome.
Subject(s)
Cultural Characteristics , Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder/drug therapy , Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder/ethnology , Adolescent , Adult , Age of Onset , Child , Female , Follow-Up Studies , Hospitals, Psychiatric , Humans , India/ethnology , Male , Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder/psychology , Psychotherapy, Group , Treatment OutcomeABSTRACT
Depression is a common psychiatric disorder prevalent in 10-15% in general population. To know the biology of the disease many hypotheses have been proposed. Genetic basis for depression is provided by family studies which show higher risk of depression among first degree relatives. Abnormalities in serotonergic activity in depression can occur in one or more levels. Other neurotransmitters like gamma amino butyric acid (GABA) and dopamine are also considered to have some role in depression. Hormonal abnormalities like hypercortisolaemia are found in patients with depression. Structural and functional neuro-imaging studies in depression suggest the involvement of brain in depressive disorders.
Subject(s)
Depression/physiopathology , Brain/pathology , Depression/genetics , Depression/metabolism , Depression/pathology , Dopamine/metabolism , Humans , Magnetic Resonance Imaging , Risk Factors , Serotonin/metabolism , gamma-Aminobutyric Acid/metabolismABSTRACT
A controlled blind study was carried out to establish the efficacy of Sodium Valproate as the first line of treatment in Acute Mania. Patients were studied over a period of 4 weeks. Using randomised table patients were assigned to either lithium or valproate. Decrease in the psychopathology was evident within 2-3 weeks. Valproate was found to be as effective as Lithium in controlling the manic episode.