Cycloserine Augmentation for Children with Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder?

Outcomes did not improve when cognitive-behavioral therapy was augmented with D-cycloserine, regardless of whether children were also taking antidepressants.

D-cycloserine (DCS), a partial agonist at the glycine site of the N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor, enhanced fear extinction in preclinical studies. However, for adults with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), augmentation with DCS has yielded mixed results (Biol Psychiatry 2015; Sep 22; [e-pub]). These researchers questioned whether DCS would be effective in childhood OCD.

In an 8-week, double-blind study, 142 children with OCD (mean age, 12.7; range, 7–17) received 10 sessions of family-based cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) and were randomized to augmentation with DCS or placebo. At sessions 4 through 10, they received weight-adjusted DCS doses of 25 mg (<45 kg) or 50 mg (>45 kg) 1 hour before CBT. Homework assignments included exposure a…

Reviewing Author

Barbara Geller, MD

Disclosures

Nothing to disclose

Barbara Geller, MD

Disclosures

Nothing to disclose

Cycloserine Augmentation for Children with Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder?

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Reviewing Author