Case report

Aripiprazole augmentation in poor insight obsessive-compulsive disorder: a case report

Michele Fornaro , Filippo Gabrielli , Chiara Mattei , Valentina Vinciguerra and Pantaleo Fornaro

Dipartimento di Neuroscienze, Oftalmologia e Genetica (DINOG), Sezione di Psichiatria, Università di Genova, Italy

author email corresponding author email

Annals of General Psychiatry 2008, 7:26doi:10.1186/1744-859X-7-26

Published:	23 December 2008

Abstract

Background

Obsessive-compulsive disorder is associated with a relevant impairment in social and interpersonal functioning and severe disability. This seems to be particularly true for the poor insight subtype, characterised by a lack of consciousness of illness and, consequently, compliance with treatment. Poor responsiveness to serotonergic drugs in poor insight obsessive-compulsive patients may also require an augmentation therapy with atypical antipsychotics.

Methods

We reviewed a case in which a patient with a long history of poor insight obsessive-compulsive disorder was treated with a high dosage of serotonin reuptake inhibitors.

Results

The treatment resulted in a poor outcome. This patient was therefore augmentated with aripiprazole.

Conclusion

Doctors should consider aripiprazole as a possible augmentation strategy for serotonergic poor responder obsessive-compulsive patients, but further research on these subjects is needed.