Is trichotillomania a disorder of the obsessive-compulsive spectrum? A case report Czy trichotillomania jest zaburzeniem ze spektrum obsesyjno-kompulsyjnego? - opis przypadku 1*

Objectives. According to current classiÞ cations trichotillomania (TTM) is a psychiatric disorder characterized by hair loss due to uncontrolled, impulsive hair pulling. The aim of this paper is to estimate the validity of reassigning trichotillomania to a group of obsessive-compulsive disorders. Case report. The case report presents a patient suffering from trichotillomania with concomitant trichophagia. She underwent, in a clinical setting, a course of treatment with lithium and a TCA as well as clomipramine, which produced partial improvement. Commentary. It is not only symptomatology and clinical course but also neurobiological and genetic background that mark the distinction between trichotillomania and obsessive-compulsive disorders, which in the clinical setting implies distinct therapies and different rate of treatment responders.