Question

a group of students are reviewing information about tricyclic antidepressants and demonstrate understanding of the material when they identify which drug as also being indicated for the treatment of obsessive-compulsive disorder.

Answer 1

Clomipramine, a tricyclic antidepressant, is also indicated for the treatment of obsessive-compulsive disorder due to its ability to increase serotonin levels in the central nervous system, similar to SSRIs.

Step-by-step explanation:

The question revolves around an understanding of psychiatric medications, specifically tricyclic antidepressants (TCAs) and their use in treating obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) alongside depression. It is clomipramine that is identified among TCAs as also being indicated for the treatment of OCD. While TCAs like imipramine and amitriptyline are widely used for major depression, clomipramine stands out for its dual indication.

When comparing TCAs to selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), the latter class, including drugs like fluoxetine (Prozac), sertraline, and paroxetine, generally have fewer anticholinergic side effects but also target serotonin levels in the central nervous system. In the context of OCD treatment, clomipramine, though chemically a TCA, functions similarly to SSRIs in its mechanism of increasing serotonin levels, which has proven useful in managing symptoms of OCD.