Adjunctive Glycine for Obsessive Compulsive Disorder

Nathan Kline Institute for Psychiatric Research

Status

Completed

Conditions

Obsessive Compulsive Disorder

Treatments

Drug: glycine

Other: placebo

Study type

Interventional

Funder types

Other

Identifiers

NCT00405535

04I/C06

Details and patient eligibility

About

The purpose of this study is to determine whether individuals with obsessive compulsive disorder who will take a preparation of the amino acid glycine in addition to their current treatment, may experience improvement in their symptoms.

Full description

Individuals with obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) often find inadequate relief, even with the best of currently available treatments. Some evidence suggests the the neurotransmitter glutamate may be a useful target for new treatments for OCD. The amino acid glycine, if given orally in adequate dosages, can have specific effects on one particular glutamate receptor molecule in the brain, that might be helpful with OC symptoms. This randomized, double-blind protocol will have study participants who suffer with OCD take either a glycine preparation or placebo for 12 weeks. Clinical measures (e.g., Y-BOCS, NIMH-OC) will be recorded at each visit to determine whether those taking the glycine experience clinical benefit.

Enrollment

24 patients

Sex

All

Ages

18 to 65 years old

Volunteers

No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

Diagnosis of OCD present for at least 1 year
Male or female, age 18 to 65
Stable medication regimen for 12 weeks prior to study entry
at least moderately severe OC symptoms

Exclusion criteria

Active substance use disorder within the last 6 months
Comorbid schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorder, bipolar disorder, tic disorder, Tourette Disorder, schizotypal personality disorder
Hoarding as the principal OCD symptom
Insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus
Pregnant or breastfeeding