Anna Citkowska-Kisielewska,  Jerzy W. Aleksandrowicz

Obsessive-compulsive disorder - psychopathology and therapy   29

Summary The review of the literature and the authors' preliminary research findings indicate non-homogeneity of the group of patients diagnosed with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). The group is differentiated, among other things, by specific features of their symptoms. Selection of experimental patient groups diagnosed using the ICD-10 criteria is unjustified, and this may explain discrepant results of psycho - and pharmacotherapy outcome studies. Psychotherapy is most probably more effective than pharmacotherapy in the treatment of OCD of neurotic nature, while pharmacotherapy - in cases of compulsions due to organic changes in the CNS. The latter include either neurotransmission disturbances (where pharmacotherapy is recommended), or anatomical abnormalities, e.g. neoplastic process (it is in such cases only that neurosurgical intervention may be considered).