Abstract
Background: In the last decades the pharmacological treatment of obsessivecompulsive disorder (OCD) has been significantly promoted by the effectiveness of selective serotonin (5-HT) reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) and the subsequent development of the 5-HT hypothesis of OCD. However, since a large majority of patients (between 40% and 60 %) do not respond to SSRIs or strategies based on the modulation of the 5-HT system, it is now essential to search for other possible therapeutic targets.
Aims: The aim of this paper was to review current literature through a PubMed and Google Scholar search of novel hypotheses and related compounds for the treatment of OCD, with a special focus on the glutammate and the immune systems.
Discussion: The literature indicates that glutamate, the main excitatory neurotransmitter, might play an important role in the pathophysiology of OCD. In addition, a series of clinical studies also supports the potential efficacy of drugs modulating the glutamate system.
The role of the immune system alterations in OCD in both children and adults needs to be more deeply elucidated. In children, a subtype of OCD has been widely described resulting from infections driven by group A streptococcus β-hemolitic and belonging to the so-called "pediatric autoimmune neuropsychiatric disorders associated with streptococcus" (PANDAS). In adults, available findings are meager and controversial, although interesting.
Conclusion: The glutamate and the immune systems represent two intriguing topics of research that hold promise for the development of open novel treatment strategies in OCD.
Keywords: OCD, resistance, refractoriness, glutamate, immune system, novel treatments.
Related Journals
Anti-Cancer Agents in Medicinal Chemistry
Anti-Inflammatory & Anti-Allergy Agents in Medicinal Chemistry
Current Analytical Chemistry
Current Computer-Aided Drug Design
Current Bioactive Compounds
Current Cancer Drug Targets
Combinatorial Chemistry & High Throughput Screening
Current Cancer Therapy Reviews
Current Diabetes Reviews
Current Drug Safety
Related Books
test ebook
COVID-19: Causes, Transmission, Diagnosis, and Treatment
2-Deoxy-D-Glucose: Chemistry and Biology
Chiral Ionic Liquids: Applications in Chemistry and Technology
Anthocyanins: Pharmacology and Nutraceutical Importance
Herbal Medicine for Autoimmune Diseases
Therapeutic Insights into Herbal Medicine through the Use of Phytomolecules
Computer-Aided Drug Discovery Methods: A Brief Introduction
The Roles and Responsibilities of Clinical Pharmacists in Hospital Settings
Bioactive Compounds from Medicinal Plants for Cancer Therapy and Chemoprevention
45
11