Effects of imipramine on depression and obsessive-compulsive symptoms.

Abstract

Most of the controlled studies on the efficacy of medical treatments of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) have involved clomipramine, a tricyclic antidepressant reputed to have anti-obsessional properties. To test the possibility that the drug's antidepressant action mediates the reduction of obsessive-compulsive symptoms, we treated 37 OCD patients with imipramine (mean dose = 233 mg/day) or placebo for 6 weeks and assessed improvement on both obsessive-compulsive and depressive symptoms. Imipramine reduced depression in highly depressed OCD patients, but did not affect obsessive-compulsive symptoms in these or in less depressed patients.

• Authors: E B Foa, G Steketee, M J Kozak, D Dugger
• Journal: Psychiatry research (Psychiatry Res) Vol. 21 Issue 2 Pg. 123-36 (Jun 1987) ISSN: 0165-1781 [Print] Ireland
• PMID: 3615688 (Publication Type: Clinical Trial, Controlled Clinical Trial, Journal Article, Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.)

Chemical References

• Placebos
• Clomipramine
• Imipramine

Topics

• Adolescent
• Adult
• Aged
• Clomipramine (therapeutic use)
• Depressive Disorder (complications, drug therapy)
• Humans
• Imipramine (therapeutic use)
• Middle Aged
• Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (complications, drug therapy)
• Placebos