Contemporary approaches to pharmacotherapy in Tourette's syndrome and obsessive-compulsive disorder.

TOPIC: Contemporary approaches used in the pharmacological treatment of children and adolescents with Tourette's syndrome or obsessive-compulsive disorder.

BACKGROUND

Tourette's syndrome (TS) and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) now are recognized as more common than previously believed. Moreover, there is accumulating evidence that these two disorders may share common neurobiological underpinnings. Nonetheless, pharmacologic approaches to treatment may be quite different.

SOURCES: Using recently published information, this paper reviews current treatment for TS and OCD.

CONCLUSION

There have been major advances in the understanding of the pathophysiology of OCD and TS. These advances provides guidance for the treatment of children and adolescents with these disorders. However, additional research is needed to refine current treatment approaches.