Obsessive–compulsive disorder: a new risk factor for Alzheimer disease?

Abstract

We describe a case of a 75-year-old woman referred to the Memory Clinic of the neurological Department of Charles Nicolle Hospital, Tunis, for cognitive decline and behavioral disturbances. Her past medical history was marked by severe obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) with contamination obsessions and washing compulsions. She has a family history for OCD and/or of dementia in 15 members. Clinical features, along with neuropsychological findings and Brain imaging were in favor of Alzheimer disease (AD). The present report is the first family study reporting the possible association of OCD and AD. The glutamatergic dysfunction may be a common pathophysiology of OCD and AD explaining this association.