5HT-2 receptor and fluvoxamine effect in obsessive-compulsive disorder

Abstract

The aim of the study was to test the role of the 5HT-2 receptor in the antiobsessional effect of 5HT uptake inhibitors. For this purpose we designed a double blind controlled clinical trial, in which ritanserin (a specific 5HT-2 receptor antagonist) or placebo were administered to a sample of 10 patients affected by Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD), symptomatologically stabilized during fluvoxamine monotherapy. In order to quantify OCD symptom severity we used the Yale Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale (Y-BOCS), administered weekly for the 14 days of the study. One way Analysis of Variance (ANOVA), performed on Y-BOCS total scores, showed a significant difference between the two treatment groups. The difference between ritanserin and placebo effect seemed to be related either to the slight worsening of the ritanserin group, or to the improvement in the placebo one. These results suggest that 5HT-2 receptor may be involved in the antiobsessional effect of fluvoxamine.