Psychiatry

EDITORIAL
	Obsessive-compulsive disorder: Mimicking journey of psychiatry	p. 1
	Om Prakash Singh DOI:10.4103/psychiatry.IndianJPsychiatry_3_19
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GUEST EDITORIAL
	Recent advances in obsessive compulsive and related disorders	p. 2
	Janardhanan C Narayanaswamy, Shyam Sundar Arumugham, TS Jaisoorya, Y C Janardhan Reddy DOI:10.4103/psychiatry.IndianJPsychiatry_587_18
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REVIEW ARTICLES
	Obsessive-compulsive disorder and global mental health	p. 4
	Dan J Stein DOI:10.4103/psychiatry.IndianJPsychiatry_515_18   The discipline of global mental health has emphasized the importance of the treatment gap in mental disorders, and of addressing this gap via changes in health policy, an emphasis on human rights, and innovations such as task-shifting. Although global mental health research has focused on both common mental disorders such as depression, and serious mental disorders such as schizophrenia, it has paid relatively little attention to obsessive-compulsive and related disorders (OCRDs). Nevertheless, international collaborations have recently paid a good deal of attention to the nosology and neurobiology of OCRDs, and given the prevalence and morbidity of these conditions, further work along these lines should be encouraged. This article provides a brief overview of recent international collaborations on OCRDs, and outlines future directions for such work.
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	Neuroimaging findings in obsessive–compulsive disorder: A narrative review to elucidate neurobiological underpinnings	p. 9
	Nandita Hazari, Janardhanan C Narayanaswamy, Ganesan Venkatasubramanian DOI:10.4103/psychiatry.IndianJPsychiatry_525_18   Obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) is a common psychiatric illness and significant research has been ongoing to understand its neurobiological basis. Neuroimaging studies right from the 1980s have revealed significant differences between OCD patients and healthy controls. Initial imaging findings showing hyperactivity in the prefrontal cortex (mainly orbitofrontal cortex), anterior cingulate cortex and caudate nucleus led to the postulation of the cortico-striato-thalamo-cortical (CSTC) model for the neurobiology of OCD. However, in the last two decades emerging evidence suggests the involvement of widespread associative networks, including regions of the parietal cortex, limbic areas (including amygdala) and cerebellum. This narrative review discusses findings from structural [Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI), Diffusion Tensor Imaging(DTI)], functional [(functional MRI (fMRI), Single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT), Positron emission tomography (PET), functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS)], combined structural and functional imaging studies and meta-analyses. Subsequently, we collate these findings to describe the neurobiology of OCD including CSTC circuit, limbic system, parietal cortex, cerebellum, default mode network and salience network. In future, neuroimaging may emerge as a valuable tool for personalised medicine in OCD treatment.
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	Neurocognitive deficits in obsessive–compulsive disorder: A selective review	p. 30
	Satish Suhas, Naren P Rao DOI:10.4103/psychiatry.IndianJPsychiatry_517_18   Obsessive–compulsive disorder (OCD) is a debilitating mental illness characterized by an early onset and chronic course. Evidence from several lines of research suggests significant neuropsychological deficits in patients with OCD; executive dysfunction and nonverbal memory deficits have been reported consistently in OCD. These deficits persist despite controlling potential confounders such as comorbidity, severity of illness, and medications. Neuropsychological impairments are independent of illness severity, thus suggesting that the neuropsychological deficits are trait markers of the disease. In addition, these deficits are seen in first-degree relatives of individuals with OCD. These reports suggest that neuropsychological deficits are potential endophenotype markers in OCD. Neuropsychological studies in pediatric OCD are limited; they show impairments of small effect size across multiple domains but with doubtful clinical significance. Preliminary evidence shows that different symptom dimensions of OCD may have unique neuropsychological deficits suggestive of discrete but overlapping neuroanatomical regions for individual symptom dimensions. Overall, neuropsychological deficits further support the role of frontostriatal circuits in the neurobiology of OCD. In addition, emerging literature also suggests the important role of other areas, in particular parietal cortex. Preliminary evidence suggests the possible role of neuropsychological deficits to be markers of treatment response but needs to be examined in future. Longitudinal studies with examination of patients at different time points and examination of their potential utility as predictors of treatment response are needed in future.
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	Genetics of obsessive-compulsive disorder	p. 37
	Abhishek Purty, Gerald Nestadt, Jack F Samuels, Biju Viswanath DOI:10.4103/psychiatry.IndianJPsychiatry_518_18   Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) has been seen to run in families and genetics help to understand its heritability. In this review, we summarize older studies which focused on establishing the familial nature of OCD, including its various dimensions of symptoms, and we focus on recent findings from studies using both the candidate gene approach and genome-wide association study (GWAS) approach. The family studies and twin studies establish the heritability of OCD. Candidate gene approaches have implicated genes in the serotonergic, glutamatergic, and dopaminergic pathways. GWAS has not produced significant results possibly due to the small sample size. Newer techniques such as gene expression studies in brain tissue, stem cell technology, and epigenetic studies may shed more light on the complex genetic basis of OCD.
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	Course and outcome of obsessive–compulsive disorder	p. 43
	Eesha Sharma, Suresh Bada Math DOI:10.4103/psychiatry.IndianJPsychiatry_521_18   Obsessive–compulsive disorder (OCD) is generally believed to follow a chronic waxing and waning course. The onset of illness has a bimodal peak – in early adolescence and in early adulthood. Consultation and initiation of treatment are often delayed for several years. Studies over the past 2–3 decades have found that the long-term outcomes in OCD are not necessarily bleak and that at least half the treatment-seeking patients with OCD show symptomatic remission over long term. A short duration illness, of low severity that is treated early and intensively, with continued maintenance treatment over long term possibly has a good outcome. Recent studies have also identified neuroimaging and neuropsychological correlates of good outcome, but these need further replication. This paper presents an overview of conceptual issues and studies on long-term outcome of OCD and predictors of outcome.
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	Antipsychotic augmentation in the treatment of obsessive-compulsive disorder	p. 51
	Abel Thamby, TS Jaisoorya DOI:10.4103/psychiatry.IndianJPsychiatry_519_18   Most studies suggest that obsessive-compulsive disorder runs a chronic course. Only 40%–70% of patients respond to first-line treatment with selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs). The most common pharmacological strategy used in clinical practice for partial responders to SSRIs is augmentation with an atypical antipsychotic. This article aims to review the efficacy, tolerability, and comparative efficacy of antipsychotics as augmenting agents in patients who showed inadequate response to SSRIs. In addition to case reports and case series, 15 randomized controls trials, 6 meta-analyses, and 3 expert guidelines have been examined. The findings suggest that one in three SSRI nonresponders improve with antipsychotic augmentation. The presence of comorbid tics and/or schizotypal disorder may predict a better response to antipsychotic augmentation. Among antipsychotics, risperidone, and aripiprazole have the best evidence, with haloperidol being considered second in-line owing to its unfavorable side effect profile. Guidelines recommend that antipsychotics be administered at a low-to-medium dosage for a duration not exceeding 3 months, with mandatory discontinuation if there is no response. Larger studies and head-to-head trials are needed to further explore this treatment strategy.
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	Glutamatergic augmentation strategies in obsessive–compulsive disorder	p. 58
	Karthik Sheshachala, Janardhanan C Narayanaswamy DOI:10.4103/psychiatry.IndianJPsychiatry_520_18   Proven treatment strategies for obsessive– compulsive disorder (OCD) include pharmacotherapy with serotonin reuptake inhibitors and cognitive behavior therapy (CBT). A significant proportion of patients (25%–30%) fail to respond to these treatment options, necessitating the need for additional treatment options to improve treatment outcomes and quality of life in patients with OCD. Augmentation strategies using various glutamatergic agents have been explored, with diverse outcomes. The aim of this review is to give an overview of the glutamatergic system in the brain with a focus on glutamatergic abnormalities in OCD and to review the existing evidence for various glutamatergic agents used for augmentation.
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	Noninvasive brain stimulation in obsessive–compulsive disorder	p. 66
	Venkataram Shivakumar, Damodharan Dinakaran, Janardhanan C Narayanaswamy, Ganesan Venkatasubramanian DOI:10.4103/psychiatry.IndianJPsychiatry_522_18   Obsessive–compulsive disorder (OCD) is a complex neuropsychiatric disorder with a chronic course, contributing to significant socio-occupational dysfunction. Forty percent of patients remain treatment refractive despite mainstream treatment options such as serotonin-reuptake inhibitors and cognitive behavior therapy. Noninvasive brain stimulation approaches such as transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) and transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) have piqued interest as add-on treatment options in OCD. This review focuses on summarizing the TMS and tDCS studies in OCD with respect to their study design and stimulation parameters and key findings. We also briefly discuss the limitations and future directions noninvasive brain stimulation in OCD.
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	Ablative neurosurgery and deep brain stimulation for obsessive-compulsive disorder	p. 77
	Srinivas Balachander, Shyam Sundar Arumugham, Dwarakanath Srinivas DOI:10.4103/psychiatry.IndianJPsychiatry_523_18   Despite advancements in pharmacotherapeutic and behavioral interventions, a substantial proportion of patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) continue to have disabling and treatment-refractory illness. Neurosurgical interventions, including ablative procedures and deep brain stimulation (DBS), have emerged as potential treatment options in this population. We review the recent literature on contemporary surgical options for OCD, focusing on clinical aspects such as patient selection, presurgical assessment, and safety and effectiveness of these procedures. Given the invasiveness and limited evidence, these procedures have been performed in carefully selected patients with severe, chronic, and treatment-refractory illness. Along with informed consent, an independent review by a multidisciplinary team is mandated in many centers. Both ablative procedures and DBS have been found to be helpful in around half the patients, with improvement observed months after the procedure. Various targets have been proposed for either procedure, based on the dominant corticostriatal model of OCD. There is no strong evidence to recommend one procedure over the other. Hence, the choice of procedure is often based on the factors such as affordability, expertise, and reversibility of adverse effects. Surgery is not recommended as a standalone treatment but should be provided as part of a comprehensive package including medications and psychotherapeutic interventions. Available evidence suggest that the benefits of the procedure outweigh the risks in a treatment-refractory population. Advances in neurosurgical techniques and increasing knowledge of neurobiology are likely to bring about further progress in the efficacy, safety, and acceptability of the procedures.
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	Exposure and response prevention for obsessive-compulsive disorder: A review and new directions	p. 85
	Dianne M Hezel, H Blair Simpson DOI:10.4103/psychiatry.IndianJPsychiatry_516_18   Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is characterized by distressing thoughts and repetitive behaviors that are interfering, time-consuming, and difficult to control. Although OCD was once thought to be untreatable, the last few decades have seen great success in reducing symptoms with exposure and response prevention (ERP), which is now considered to be the first-line psychotherapy for the disorder. Despite these significant therapeutic advances, there remain a number of challenges in treating OCD. In this review, we will describe the theoretical underpinnings and elements of ERP, examine the evidence for its effectiveness, and discuss new directions for enhancing it as a therapy for OCD.
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	Family accommodation in psychopathology: A synthesized review	p. 93
	Yaara Shimshoni, Basavaraj Shrinivasa, Anish V Cherian, Eli R Lebowitz DOI:10.4103/psychiatry.IndianJPsychiatry_530_18   Family accommodation describes changes that family members make to their own behavior, to help their relative who is dealing with psychopathology, and to avoid or alleviate distress related to the disorder. Research on family accommodation has expanded greatly in the past few years. The aim of this study was to provide a synthesized review of recent findings on family accommodation in psychopathology. Electronic databases were searched for available, peer-reviewed, English language papers, published between September 2015 and March 2018, cross-referencing psychiatric disorders with accommodation and other family-related terms. Ninety-one papers were identified and reviewed, of which 69 were included. In obsessive-compulsive disorder and anxiety disorders family accommodation has been linked to symptom severity, functional impairment, caregiver burden, and poorer treatment outcomes. Several randomized controlled trials explored the efficacy of treatments aimed at reducing family accommodation. A growing number of studies have reported family accommodation in eating disorders where it is associated with greater symptom severity and caregiver burden. Family accommodation has also been studied in other disorders, including autism spectrum disorders, tic disorders, and posttraumatic stress disorder. Research on family accommodation in psychopathology is advancing steadily, expanding across disorders. The study highlights the importance of addressing family accommodation in the assessment and treatment of various disorders.
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	New-wave behavioral therapies in obsessive-compulsive disorder: Moving toward integrated behavioral therapies	p. 104
	M Manjula, Paulomi M Sudhir DOI:10.4103/psychiatry.IndianJPsychiatry_531_18   New-wave behavioral therapies in obsessive-compulsive disorders (OCDs) comprise of third-wave therapies and newer cognitive therapies (CTs). This review covers outcome studies published in English until December 2017. A total of forty articles on mindfulness-based CT, metacognitive therapy, acceptance and commitment therapy, and danger ideation reduction therapy in the form of single-case studies, case series, open-label trials, two-group comparison studies, and randomized controlled studies were included. Results show that studies on these therapies are limited in number. Methodological limitations including lack of active control groups, randomized controlled trials, small sample sizes, and short follow-up periods were also noted. However, the available literature demonstrates the feasibility and utility of these therapies in addressing the issues unresolved by exposure and response prevention (ERP) and cognitive behavior therapy (CBT). These therapies were often combined with traditional ERP and CBT based on the profile and response of the client; hence, it is unclear whether they can be used as standalone therapies in the larger segment of the OCD population. Supplementary use of these strategies alongside established therapies could provide better utilization of resources. In view of the need for such integration, further research is warranted. The use of sound methodologies and establishing the mechanism of action of these therapies would assist in choosing the techniques for integration.
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	The role of personality disorders in obsessive-compulsive disorder	p. 114
	Abel Thamby, Sumant Khanna DOI:10.4103/psychiatry.IndianJPsychiatry_526_18   Personality disorders are a common comorbidity in obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). The effect of comorbidity on the symptom presentation, course, and treatment outcome of OCD is being discussed here. OCD and obsessive-compulsive personality disorder (OCPD) though similar in their symptom presentation, are distinct constructs. Schizotypal disorder, OCPD, and two or more comorbid personality disorders have been found to be consistently associated with a poor course of illness and treatment response. Further research is needed to determine treatment strategies to handle the personality pathology in OCD.
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	Challenges in the diagnosis and treatment of pediatric obsessive–compulsive disorder	p. 119
	Clara Westwell-Roper, S Evelyn Stewart DOI:10.4103/psychiatry.IndianJPsychiatry_524_18   Obsessive–compulsive disorder (OCD) affects 1%–3% of children worldwide and has a profound impact on quality of life for patients and families. Although our understanding of the underlying etiology remains limited, data from neuroimaging and genetic studies as well as the efficacy of serotonergic medications suggest the disorder is associated with the fundamental alterations in the function of cortico-striato-thalamocortical circuits. Significant delays to diagnosis are common, ultimately leading to more severe functional impairment with long-term developmental consequences. The clinical assessment requires a detailed history of specific OCD symptoms as well as psychiatric and medical comorbidities. Standardized assessment tools may aid in evaluating and tracking symptom severity and both individual and family functioning. In the majority of children, an interdisciplinary approach that combines cognitive behavioral therapy with a serotonin reuptake inhibitor leads to meaningful symptom improvement, although some patients experience a chronic, episodic course. There are limited data to guide the management of treatment-refractory illness in children, although atypical antipsychotics and glutamate-modulating agents may be used cautiously as augmenting agents. This review outlines a clinical approach to the diagnosis and management of OCD, highlighting associated challenges, and limitations to our current knowledge.
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	Understanding and treating body dysmorphic disorder	p. 131
	Aoife Rajyaluxmi Singh, David Veale DOI:10.4103/psychiatry.IndianJPsychiatry_528_18   Body dysmorphic disorder (BDD), also known as dysmorphophobia, is a condition that consists of a distressing or impairing preoccupation with imagined or slight defects in appearance, associated repetitive behaviors and where insight regarding the appearance beliefs is often poor. Despite the fact it is relatively common, occurs around the world and can have a significant impact on a sufferer's functioning, levels of distress, and risk of suicide, the diagnosis is often missed. In this review, we outline the clinical features of BDD including as characterized in the newly published World Health Organization's International Classification of Diseases 11, review the prevalence of BDD within different settings, and highlight the reasons why BDD may be underdiagnosed even within psychiatric settings. We additionally review the cultural considerations for BDD and finally discuss the evidence-based treatment approaches for BDD, particularly the use of serotonin reuptake inhibitor medication and cognitive behavioral therapy.
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	Trichotillomania (hair pulling disorder)	p. 136
	Jon E Grant DOI:10.4103/psychiatry.IndianJPsychiatry_529_18   Trichotillomania is characterized by the repetitive pulling out of one's own hair leading to hair loss and possibly functional impairment. Trichotillomania has been documented in the medical literature since the 19th century. Prevalence studies suggest that trichotillomania is a common disorder (point prevalence estimates of 0.5%–2.0%). Although grouped with the obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) in the diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders-5, trichotillomania is distinct from OCD in many respects. For example, the treatment of trichotillomania generally employs habit reversal therapy and medication (n-acetylcysteine or olanzapine), both of which are quite different from those used to treat OCD. Conversely, some first-line treatments used for OCD (e.g., selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors) appear ineffective for trichotillomania. This article presents what is known about trichotillomania and the evidence for a variety of treatment interventions.
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	Obsessive–compulsive disorder comorbid with schizophrenia and bipolar disorder	p. 140
	Lavanya P Sharma, Y C Janardhan Reddy DOI:10.4103/psychiatry.IndianJPsychiatry_527_18   Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) and Obsessive Compulsive Symptoms (OCS) are known to be highly comorbid with bipolar disorder and schizophrenia. Comorbid OCD/OCS influences the course of schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. There is also some evidence to suggest that a diagnosis of OCD may be associated with elevated risk for later development of psychosis and bipolar disorder. Comorbid OCD/OCS is associated with a greater severity of schizophrenia phenotype and poorer prognosis. In addition, certain atypical antipsychotics, clozapine in particular are known to induce or worsen OCS in schizophrenia. OCD when comorbid with bipolar disorder mostly runs an episodic course with worsening and improvement of OCD/OCS in depressive and in manic/hypomanic phases respectively. There is limited systematic data on the treatment of OCD in schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. When OCD presents in the context of schizophrenia, management may include treatment with atypical antipsychotics with limited serotonergic properties, changing the antipsychotic, reduction in the dose of the antipsychotic, addition of cognitive-behavior therapy (CBT), or a specific serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI). When OCD is comorbid with bipolar disorder, mood stabilization is the priority. CBT may be preferred over SSRIs to treat OCD/OCS that persist in between the mood episodes because SSRIs may induce a switch or worsen the course of bipolar disorder. SSRIs when indicated have to be used judiciously under the cover of adequate mood stabilization.
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