Treatment of obsessive compulsive disorder in the elderly: A review and case example

John E. Calamari*, Samantha D. Faber, Brian L. Hitsman, Christopher J. Poppe

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

43 Scopus citations

Abstract

Obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) is a prevalent form of psychopathology in the elderly, yet limited evaluation of the disorder in this age group has occurred. We review the literature and describe a case of OCD effectively treated in an 80-year-old man. Case study reports suggest that elderly persons are responsive to selective serotonin uptake inhibitors, although medication selection and dosage may need to be adjusted as a result of the medical conditions sometimes present in the elderly. Elderly persons appear able to benefit from exposure and response prevention, although behavioral intervention has not been frequently used. We describe here the first case report where exposure and response prevention procedures were successfully used and this intervention was not confounded with psychopharmacologic treatment.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)95-104
Number of pages10
JournalJournal of Behavior Therapy and Experimental Psychiatry
Volume25
Issue number2
DOIs
StatePublished - Jun 1994

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Experimental and Cognitive Psychology
  • Psychiatry and Mental health
  • Clinical Psychology
  • Arts and Humanities (miscellaneous)

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