D-Cycloserine Augmentation of Therapy for Pediatric Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder
Status:
Completed
Trial end date:
2009-11-01
Target enrollment:
Participant gender:
Summary
Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) has proven efficacy for treatment of pediatric
obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). Yet, CBT does not help all children and those who
benefit often remain symptomatic upon treatment completion. Recent clinical trials in adults
with other anxiety disorders (acrophobia and social phobia) provided support for using a
medication called D-Cycloserine (DCS) to enahnce the outcome of exposure-based psychotherapy.
Given this, DCS may augment CBT in youth with OCD, an anxiety disorder that is conceptually
similar to acrophobia. With this in mind, the investigators are conducting a randomized,
double-blind placebo controlled pilot study of DCS to determine whether it had any short-term
clinical benefits on CBT in youth with OCD. Forty children and adolescents (ages 8-17) with a
primary diagnosis of OCD will be screened and, should they meet relevant criteria, randomly
assigned to one of two treatment conditions: (1) CBT plus DCS, or (2) CBT plus placebo. All
patients will receive 10 sessions of CBT A rater will assess participants at 3 separate time
points.