Intranasal oxytocin in obsessive-compulsive disorder

A 55 years patient with obsessive-compulsive disorder showed clear improvement during four weeks of treatment with intranasal oxytocin compared to four weeks of intranasal placebo. This improvement was concurrent with the development of severe memory disturbances, supporting the amnestic properties of the peptide. However, the patient also developped psychotic symptoms and a marked decrease in plasma sodium and osmolality, which may have masked the obsessive symptomatology. The case highlights the need for careful monitoring in long-term oxytocin therapy.