Severity Of Obsessive-compulsive Symptoms Research Articles

The relationship between emotional inhibition, emotional deprivation, failure, vulnerability to harm schema, and severity of symptoms among patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder

ObjectiveAssess the relationship between emotional inhibition, emotional deprivation, failure, vulnerability to harm schema, and severity of symptoms among obsessive-compulsive disorder.MethodsA descriptive correlational study was conducted on 30 patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder who were recruited to complete the Yale-Brown Obsessive-Compulsive Scale, Young Schema Questionnaire-Long Form.ResultsThe results of the study indicate that 66.6% of the 30 subjects exhibited high levels of OCD symptom severity, with a mean score of 33.20 ± 4.67. In terms of early maladaptive schemas, 60% of subjects displayed severe emotional deprivation, 66.7% showed severe emotional inhibition, and 83.3% had severe failure schemas. A strong positive correlation was found between failure schemas and OCD symptoms (r = 0.697, p < 0.001). However, what truly impressed the researchers was the predictive power of the failure schema. It was the only significant predictor of OCD symptoms (Beta = 0.992, p < 0.001), explaining 55.2% of the variance.ConclusionThe study underscores the crucial influence of early maladaptive schemas on the severity of obsessive-compulsive disorder symptoms in individuals with obsessive-compulsive disorder. It proposes that considering early maladaptive schemas, such as emotional self-awareness, failure, and vulnerability to harm, can aid in gauging the severity of obsessive-compulsive disorder symptoms. Moreover, the study’s findings are of significant importance to mental health professionals, researchers, and individuals involved in the treatment and management of obsessive-compulsive disorder, as they provide a deeper understanding of the condition and suggest practical approaches for its management.

Assessing the effectiveness of high-definition transcranial direct current stimulation for treating obsessive-compulsive disorder: Results from a randomized, double-blind, controlled trial

ObjectiveCharacterized by its disabling nature, obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) affects individuals profoundly, with nearly 40% of patients showing resistance to initial treatment methods. Despite being safe and easily accessible, transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) lacks extensive substantiation supporting its efficacy in treating OCD. The objective of this study was to evaluate how cathodal high-definition transcranial direct current stimulation (HD-tDCS) applied to the right orbitofrontal cortex affected patients with OCD in terms of efficacy. Method47 patients with OCD were enrolled. They were randomly allocated to active or sham stimulation groups, and underwent HD-tDCS stimulation treatment for 2 weeks. The central electrode located in the right orbitofrontal cortex region was cathodic. The severity of the patients' obsessive-compulsive symptoms, depression and anxiety were assessed before and after treatment. ResultOut of the total, 44 patients concluded the treatment, comprising 23 participants from the active stimulation group and 21 from the sham stimulation group. Notably, substantial reductions in symptoms related to OCD, depression, and anxiety were exhibited in both groups. With a response rate of 26.1% in the active stimulation group and 23.8% in the sham stimulation group, there was no significant difference in efficacy observed. Furthermore, the reduction in depression and anxiety symptoms at the conclusion of the treatment was not notably superior in the active stimulation group. ConclusionThis study provided evidence for the acceptability and safety of HD-tDCS. Nevertheless, the study did not reveal notable clinical effectiveness of tDCS in addressing moderate to severe OCD in comparison to the sham stimulation group.

Comparison of autogenous and reactive type obsessive-compulsive disorders in terms of clinical characteristics: A meta-analysis study

Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) has been divided into two subgroups autogenous and reactive types, based on obsessive symptoms. To our knowledge, no meta-analysis study compares sociodemographic and clinical characteristics. Investigation of the differences between the two groups in terms of these basic characteristics may provide information about the accuracy of this classification. This is the first meta-analysis to examine gender, age at onset and some clinical differences between patients with autogenous and reactive OCD. Electronic bibliographic databases of Scopus and PubMed were searched up to March 2024. Random effect models were conducted for this meta-analysis. The analysis was carried out using the standardized mean difference as the outcome measure. Publication bias was evaluated using the Begg and Eggers funnel plot, and fail-safe N calculation using the Rosenthal approach. The current meta-analysis summarizes the data from primary studies comparing the gender rates, age at onset of OCD, severity of obsessive-compulsive symptoms, and severity of depression and anxiety symptoms between autogenous and reactive types of OCD. The results of this study showed that the rate of male gender was higher in the autogenous type OCD. In addition, increased severity of anxiety, and depression were associated with autogenous type OCD. There was no significant difference between groups regarding the severity of obsessive-compulsive symptoms. Age of OCD onset findings were insignificant, but excluding an outlier study suggested earlier onset in autogenous type OCD. These results support the distinction between autogenous and reactive type OCD.

The Effects of Metacognition on Social Functioning in Patients With Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder

The aim of this study was to examine the effects of metacognitive beliefs and thought-control strategies on social functioning and obsessive-compulsive symptoms in patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). The cross-sectional study sample consisted of 62 patients diagnosed with OCD and 58 healthy controls. OCD was determined by detailed mental examination and the Yale-Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale (Y-BOCS) was applied. All the participants completed the Metacognition Questionnaire-30 (MCQ-30), Thought Control Questionnaire (TCQ), Social Functioning Scale (SFS), Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), and the Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI). There was no statistically significant difference in terms of age, gender, education, or marital status between the patients and the healthy control group ( P &gt; 0.05). The MCQ-30 total and subgroups scores except positive belief, BDI, and BAI of patients with OCD were statistically higher than healthy controls. SFS total and the subgroup scores of patients with OCD were statistically lower than healthy controls. The results revealed that metacognition was associated with obsessive-compulsive symptom severity and social functioning; social functioning was affected by all of the symptoms but mainly by depression. Handling metacognition and depressive symptoms may be useful for increasing social functioning of patients with OCD. More studies in the future should consider the results. [ Psychiatr Ann . 2024;54(4):e125–e134.]

A closer look: obsessive-compulsive symptoms among intern nurses amidst COVID-19 pandemic

BackgroundThe distinctive circumstances and socio-cultural context in Egypt make it crucial to explore the psychological well-being of intern nurses amid the COVID-19 pandemic, with a specific focus on obsessive-compulsive symptoms. This study aimed to investigate the influence of fear of COVID-19 on obsessive-compulsive symptoms among intern nurses.MethodsA cross-sectional survey involving 375 randomly recruited intern nurses was conducted. Data collected included the Fear of COVID-19 Scale and the Short Version of the Arabic Obsessive-Compulsive Scale.ResultsA significant relationship was found between the fear of COVID-19 and the severity of obsessive-compulsive symptoms among the participants (r = 0.472, p = 0.000). A stepwise regression analysis indicated that the fear of COVID-19, living in urban regions, frequency of COVID-19 infection, and increased number of infected family members may contribute to the severity of Obsessive-Compulsive Symptoms with adjusted R2 value = 27.5%.ConclusionThe findings suggest that the COVID-19 pandemic has had significant psychological impacts on newly qualified nurses during their internship training period, including the manifestation of mental health symptoms such as Obsessive-Compulsive Symptoms. It was observed that urban residents, intern nurses with recurrent COVID-19 infections, and those with more infected family members exhibited a higher severity of OCS. These findings underscore the need for further research to investigate additional factors that may influence OCS severity.

The role of life events in obsessive-compulsive disorders

Background: A small number of studies are available to assess the role of stressful life events (SLEs) in obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). The previous studies have reported contradictory results and they have methodological limitations. Aims and Objectives: The objectives of our study are (i) to find out the frequency of life events in patients with OCD in comparison to their matched healthy controls and (ii) to find out the impact of life events on the severity of the disorder. Materials and Methods: Sixty patients fulfilling Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorder, 5th edition (DSM-V) criteria of OCD were rated with Yale-Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale (Y-BOCS), Hamilton Rating Scale for Anxiety (HAM-A), Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression (HAM-D), and Presumptive Stressful Life Events Scale (PSLES). A group of 60 normal controls were also rated on PSLES. Finally, both groups were compared in terms of life events. Results: The frequency of life events, past 1 year (t=5.307, P=0.006) and lifetime (t=11.527, P&lt;0.001), were significantly higher in the patient group in comparison to controls. PSLES scores showed asignificant correlation with Y-BOCS total scores, Y-BOCS obsession scores, and HAM-A scores. There was a positive correlation between past 1 year PSLES score and HAM-D scores. Step-wise linear regression analysis showed PSLES scores significantly positively predicted Y-BOCS total score, Y-BOCS obsession score, and Y-BOCS compulsion score. Conclusion: Life events were significantly more frequent in OCD patients both past 1 year and lifetime, as compared to healthy controls. The severity of obsessive compulsive symptoms was found to be directly proportional to the number of SLEs experienced in the past 1 year and lifetime.

A Longitudinal Examination of Obsessive-Compulsive Symptom Severity as a Predictor of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Development

It is well established in literature that Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) and Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) have high rates of comorbidity. Many studies consider trauma exposure as an etiological factor in the development of Obsessive Compulsive (OC) symptoms, however no research to date has considered the contributions of OC symptoms in the development and maintenance of posttraumatic stress symptoms (PTSS) following a traumatic event. Previous literature reports that trauma type and distress tolerance both influence presence and severity of PTSS and OC symptoms. The present study utilizes archival data from 97 trauma-exposed participants selected from a larger randomized controlled trial of four web-based interventions for anxiety and mood symptoms (N = 303). A hierarchical linear regression indicated that baseline OC symptoms predicted long-term follow-up PTSS over and above the variance explained by baseline PTSS, treatment condition, and trauma load. Further, a significant trauma type by OC symptom severity interaction indicated that baseline OC symptom severity had a greater effect on the development or maintenance of PTSS for individuals who experienced interpersonal trauma, as compared to those who experienced non-interpersonal trauma. Additionally, a mediation model demonstrated that month 3 distress tolerance fully mediated the relationship between baseline OC symptoms and long-term follow-up PTSS. The present study was limited by possible treatment effects, outdated methodologies utilized in the original study, and attrition. Despite its limitations the current study provides novel findings and advances our understanding of the relationship between OCD and PTSD symptoms.

Study on symptom dimensions and clinical characteristics in patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder.

The aim of this study was to explore the symptom dimensions and clinical characteristics of obsessive-compulsive disorder in the context of Chinese culture. In this cross-sectional study, the severity of obsessive-compulsive symptoms, the distribution of symptoms, and symptom scores of 263 patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder were assessed using the Yale-Brown Obsessive-Compulsive Scale and Yale-Brown Obsessive-Compulsive Inventory Symptoms Checklist. System cluster analysis and Pearson analysis were performed to explore the relationships between the main clinical characteristics and symptom dimensions. Cluster analysis identified four symptom dimensions of obsessive-compulsive disorder: (1) symmetry precision; (2) contamination cleaning; (3) aggression examination; and (4) taboo thinking. The symmetry precision dimension showed an association with years of education. The compulsive score, total Yale-Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale score, contamination cleaning dimension, and aggression examination dimension had significant relationships. Age, age at onset, obsessive score, and compulsive score had a significant correlation with the taboo-thinking dimension. The symptom dimensions of obsessive-compulsive disorder in China are similar to those in other regions. Each of the four symptom dimensions had distinct clinical characteristics.

Anxiety during the long-term course of obsessive-compulsive disorder

ObjectiveThe study aimed to investigate anxiety and its relation with obsessive-compulsive symptoms during the long-term course of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). MethodsWe used data from the Netherlands OCD Association (NOCDA) study, which included 419 participants with OCD (aged 18–79 years). Severity of obsessive-compulsive symptoms and anxiety at baseline and after two, four, and six years were entered into three models, which were analyzed using structural equation modeling: 1) the cross-lagged model, which assumes that anxiety and obsessive-compulsive symptoms are two distinct groups of symptoms interacting directly on the long-term; 2) the stable traits model, which assumes that anxiety and obsessive-compulsive symptoms result from two distinct latent factors, which are stable over the time and interact with each other; and 3) the common factor model, which assumes that anxiety and obsessive-compulsive symptoms are presentations of the same latent factor. ResultsThe cross-lagged model and the stable traits model both were valid models with a good model fit. The common factor model had a poor model fit and was rejected. LimitationsThe duration of OCD varied widely between the participants (0–64 years). The majority experienced obsessive-compulsive symptoms since several years, which may have affected results on the course of anxiety and the interaction between anxiety and obsessive-compulsive symptoms. ConclusionsAnxiety and obsessive-compulsive symptoms in OCD patients do not result from a shared underlying factor but are distinct, interacting symptom groups, probably interacting by distinct latent factors.

Structural Fingerprinting of the Frontal Aslant Tract: Predicting Cognitive Control Capacity and Obsessive-Compulsive Symptoms.

White matter of the human brain is influenced by common genetic variations and shaped by neural activity-dependent experiences. Variations in microstructure of cerebral white matter across individuals and even across fiber tracts might underlie differences in cognitive capacity and vulnerabilities to mental disorders. The frontoparietal and cingulo-opercular networks of the brain constitute the central system supporting cognitive functions, and functional connectivity of these networks has been used to distinguish individuals known as "functional fingerprinting." The frontal aslant tract (FAT) that passes through the two networks has been implicated in executive functions. However, whether FAT can be used as a "structural fingerprint" to distinguish individuals and predict an individual's cognitive function and dysfunction is unknown. Here we investigated the fingerprinting property of FAT microstructural profiles using three independent diffusion MRI datasets with repeated scans on human participants including both females and males. We found that diffusion and geometric profiles of FAT can be used to distinguish individuals with a high accuracy. Next, we demonstrated that fractional anisotropy in different FAT segments predicted distinct cognitive functions, including working memory, inhibitory control, and relational reasoning. Finally, we assessed the contribution of altered FAT microstructural profiles to cognitive dysfunction in unmedicated patients with obsessive-compulsive disorders. We found that the altered microstructure in FAT was associated with the severity of obsessive-compulsive symptoms. Collectively, our findings suggest that the microstructural profiles of FAT can identify individuals with a high accuracy and may serve as an imaging marker for predicting an individual's cognitive capacity and disease severity.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT The frontoparietal network and cingulo-opercular network of the brain constitute a dual-network architecture for human cognitive functions, and functional connectivity of these two networks can be used as a "functional fingerprint" to distinguish individuals. However, the structural underpinnings of these networks subserving individual heterogeneities in their functional connectivity and cognitive ability remain unknown. We show here that the frontal aslant tract (FAT) that passes through the two networks distinguishes individuals with a high accuracy. Further, we demonstrate that the diffusion profiles of FAT predict distinct cognitive functions in healthy subjects and are associated with the clinical symptoms in patients with obsessive-compulsive disorders. Our findings suggest that the FAT may serve as a unique structural fingerprint underlying individual cognitive capability.

Emotion dysregulation and social communication problems but not ToM properties may predict obsessive-compulsive disorder symptom severity

Objective Studies have shown that theory of mind, emotion regulation and pragmatic abilities are negatively affected in people with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). We aimed to investigate theory of mind (ToM) abilities, social responsiveness, pragmatic language, and emotion regulation skills in children with OCD and to compare them to healthy controls. Methods This study was designed as a single-center, cross-sectional, case-control study. ToM abilities were evaluated via “Reading the Mind in the Eyes Test” (RMET), “Faces Test”, “Faux-Pas Test”, “Comprehension Test” and “Unexpected Outcomes Test”. Social responsiveness, pragmatic language and emotion regulation were evaluated by Social Responsiveness Scale (SRS), Children’s Communication Checklist- Second Edition (CCC-2), Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale (DERS) and Children’s Yale-Brown Obsessive-Compulsive Scale (CY-BOCS). Within the study period, we enrolled 85 adolescents (42 with OCD and 43 controls). Results The OCD group performed significantly lower than healthy controls in the Faux Pass and Comprehension tests (p = 0.003 for both). We found a statistically significant difference between groups in terms of the goal, strategy, non-acceptance subscales of the DERS (p < 0.001, p = 0.006, p = 0.008, respectively) as well as the total DERS score (p < 0.001). CY-BOCS total scores correlated significantly and negatively with Comprehension, Faux Pas and Unexpected Outcomes tests, and positively with CCC total, SRS total and DERS total scores. In regression analysis the DERS, SRS and CCC tests emerged as significant predictors of CY-BOCS total score. Conclusion Addressing ToM, pragmatic, and ER difficulties when planning the treatment of young people with OCD may contribute to positive outcomes.

Prevalence and psychopathology features of mental rituals in patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder: A descriptive exploratory study of 1001 patients.

Mental rituals (MR) are compulsions with no overt behavioural or motoric signs. It is presently unclear whether MR found in obsessive-compulsive disorder are associated with a distinctive clinical profile. The main objectives of this paper were to assess the prevalence and psychopathological correlates of mental rituals in a large sample of OCD patients. This exploratory case-control study compared 519 patients with versus 447 without MR in terms of sociodemographics, presence and severity of obsessive-compulsive symptoms, psychiatric comorbidities, sensory phenomena, suicidality, and insight. Current MR were found in 51.8%, while lifetime MR were found in 55.4% of the sample. The multiple logistic regression model determined that the most relevant clinical factors independently associated with current MR in OCD patients were the absence of any sensory phenomena and the presence of lifetime suicide ideation. Due to its relation to OCD clinical aspects, MR are a frequent feature among OCD patients. It also seems to be associated with a range of features that are probably relevant for treatment, especially sensory phenomena and suicidality.

Severity and Changes in OCD Dimensions during COVID-19: A Two-Year Longitudinal Study.

The COVID-19 pandemic appears to be associated with a worsening of obsessive-compulsive symptoms in both young people and adults with OCD and it is necessary to analyze the variables involved in this worsening over time. The main aim of this study was to examine long-term changes in total severity and obsessive-compulsive dimensions in obsessive-compulsive patients during the COVID-19 pandemic. A total 250 OCD patients were selected from various associations, clinical centers and hospitals. We discarded 75 as they did not meet the inclusion criteria. A total of 175 obsessive-compulsive participants aged between 16 and 58 years old (M = 33.33, SD = 9.42) were evaluated in obsessive-compulsive symptom severity and dimensions OCD assessed using the Y-BOCS and D-YBOCS scales in T1 (April-June 2020) and in T2 (March-April 2022). The evaluation was carried out through an online survey and face-to-face with a professional clinician at both time points. Intragroup differences in severity were observed, reaching higher scores for patients with contamination, somatic, aggressive and religious. Some patients changed their main dimension, increasing the percentage of patients with contamination and somatic obsessions. COVID-19 was associated with both changes in severity and also affected some dimensions more than others, particularly those related to the virus itself (contamination and somatic).

Predicting the Severity of Obsessive-compulsive Symptoms Based on Traumatic Childhood Experiences: The Mediating Role of Self-criticism

Objective: The present study was conducted to predict obsessive-compulsive symptoms (OCS) severity based on childhood traumatic experiences through the mediating role of self-criticism. Methods: This descriptive correlation study was done using structural equation modeling. The statistical population included adults living in Mashhad in 2021, aged from 18 to 50 years with access to the Internet. Of these, 340 individuals were selected as a sample using the available method. Data were collected using the Yale-Brown obsessive scale (Y-BOCS), the childhood trauma questionnaire (CTQ), and the levels of self-criticism questionnaire LOCS. Data analysis was performed using the structural equation modeling method using SPSS software version 26 and AMOS software, version 24. Results: Results showed a significant correlation between childhood traumatic experiences (r=0.51) and self-criticism (r=0.57) with the severity of obsessive-compulsive symptoms (P&lt;0.01). Also, the results of structural equation modeling showed that the model of the present study had an acceptable fitness and the mediating role of self-criticism in the relationship between childhood traumatic experiences and the severity of obsessive-compulsive symptoms (χ2/df≤3) was significant (0.001). Conclusion: Based on the findings of this study, traumatic childhood experiences are able to predict and affect the severity of obsessive-compulsive symptoms through interaction with self-criticism.

METACOGNITIONS AND OBSESSIVE-COMPULSIVE SYMPTOMS IN OCD PATIENTS: MODERATING ROLE OF GUILT SENSITIVITY

Present research was designed to understand the connection between metacognitions and obsessive-compulsive symptoms, with guilt sensitivity as moderator in people suffering from obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD). A positive association among metacognitions, guilt sensitivity and obsessive compulsive (OC) symptoms was hypothesized. Moreover, guilt sensitivity would significantly play the role of moderator in the connection of metacognition and obsessive-compulsive symptoms. The research was carried out in two phases. Phase 1 comprised of translation of Guilt Sensitivity Scale (GSS, Perdighe, Cosentino, Faraci, Gragnani, Saliani, &amp; Mancini, 2015) in Urdu by forward-backward translation method. In phase 2, sample of the study consisted of 105 OCD patients. Sample was recruited through purposive sampling technique. Metacognitive Questionnaire (MCQ-30) by Wells and Cartwright-Hatton (2004), GSS by Perdighe et al., 2015 and Obsessive-Compulsive Symptoms Checklist (OCSC) by Jabeen and Kausar (2010) was used. Findings of the study revealed that there is a significant positive relationship in metacognitions, guilt sensitivity and OC symptoms. Furthermore, results revealed guilt sensitivity moderated with positive beliefs, cognitive self-consciousness, and uncontrollability/dangerousness of metacognitions in OC symptoms. It was concluded that people using more metacognition and with heightened guilt sensitivity were found to have more severity of OC symptoms. Keywords: Guilt sensitivity, Metacognitions, OC symptoms.

The Impact of Family Functioning on Help-Seeking Behavior and Symptom Severity in Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder.

Poor family functioning is associated with higher symptom severity in pediatric obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and delayed help-seeking behavior in other forms of psychopathology. However, little is known about the impact of family functioning on help-seeking behavior and symptom severity in adults with OCD. The present study investigated the association between family functioning and both treatment delay and symptom severity in adults with obsessive-compulsive symptoms. Participants were 194 adults who self-identified as having OCD and completed an internet survey, including measures assessing family functioning, obsessive-compulsive symptom severity, help-seeking behavior, and depression symptom severity. Poorer family functioning was associated with higher obsessive-compulsive and depression symptom severity, after controlling for significant demographic variables. With respect to domains of family functioning, poorer general functioning, problem solving, communication skills, role functioning, affective involvement, and affective responsiveness were associated with higher obsessive-compulsive and depression symptom severity, after controlling for demographics. Poorer problem solving and communication were not significantly associated with treatment delay after controlling for demographics. Findings highlight the need for family intervention within the treatment framework for adult OCD and suggest targets ( e.g. , communication) to be addressed.

Een onderzoek naar obsessieve-compulsieve symptomen bij kinderen en adolescenten met anorexia nervosa

Objective: Anorexia nervosa (AN) and obsessive-compulsive symptoms frequently co-occur. There are no prevalence rates of obsessive-compulsive symptoms in minors with AN in Belgium. Little is known about the relationship between obsessive-compulsive symptoms and BMI or AN-related psychological characteristics. Method: The prevalence of obsessive-compulsive symptoms was studied in 25 female minor with AN. Possible correlations were examined between compulsive symptoms and BMI or the psychological features of eating disorders. Data were collected by a file study, self-report questionnaire and a semi-structured interview with the patients. Results: 36% of the patients reported obsessive-compulsive symptoms with a clinically significant degree of severity. No association was found between the total number or severity of obsessive-compulsive symptoms and BMI. However, a significant association was found between the total number and severity of obsessive-compulsive symptoms and several EDI-3 subscales such as 'low self-esteem', 'personal alienation', 'interoceptive problems', 'emotional dysregulation' and 'asceticism'. Additionally, a significant relationship was seen between the severity of compulsive symptoms and the subscales 'body dissatisfaction', 'interpersonal alienation', 'perfectionism'. These correlations were independent of age, eating disorder duration, type of treatment, subtype of AN or the use of psychotropic medication. Discussion: In our study group of minors with AN was the prevalence of obsessive-compulsive symptoms high. This study showed no significant association between obsessive-compulsive symptoms and BMI. However, several eating disorder-related psychological characteristics did appear to be significantly associated with obsessive-compulsive symptoms. Further research should determine whether there is a common cause or some form of causality between AN-related psychological characteristics and obsessive-compulsive symptoms.

Dimensional Assessment of Depression and Anxiety in a Clinical Sample of Adults With Chronic Tic Disorder.

Among adults with Tourette syndrome, depression and anxiety symptoms are widely prevalent and consistently associated with poor quality of life. Important knowledge gaps remain regarding mood and anxiety dimensions of the adult Tourette syndrome phenotype. Taking a dimensional approach, this study sought to determine the prevalence, severity, and clinical correlates of depression and anxiety symptoms in a clinical sample of adults with Tourette syndrome and other chronic tic disorders. A retrospective chart review was conducted of all adults with a chronic tic disorder presenting to a tertiary care Tourette syndrome clinic between December 2020 and July 2022. Information extracted during chart review included data from scales administered as part of routine care: Quality of Life in Neurological Disorders (Neuro-QoL) Depression Short Form, Neuro-QoL Anxiety Short Form, Adult Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder Self-Report Screening Scale, Dimensional Obsessive-Compulsive Scale, and Yale Global Tic Severity Scale. Relationships between variables were examined by conducting between-group, correlation, and multivariable regression analyses. Data from 120 adult patients with a chronic tic disorder (77 men and 43 women) were analyzed. Neuro-QoL Anxiety scores were elevated in 66% of the cohort; Neuro-QoL Depression scores were elevated in 26%. Neuro-QoL Anxiety scores were significantly higher than general population norms, whereas Neuro-QoL Depression scores were not. After adjustment for covariates, depressive and anxiety symptom severity scores were significantly associated with each other and with obsessive-compulsive disorder symptom severity but not with tic severity. Sex-based differences emerged in the analyses. Among adults with chronic tic disorder, anxiety symptoms were more prevalent and severe than depressive symptoms, co-occurring psychiatric symptoms were more tightly linked with each other than with tic severity, and sex-based differences were evident.

Direct changes of neurometabolic concentrations in the pregenual anterior cingulate cortex among obsessive-compulsive patients after repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation treatment

Background and aimAlthough Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (rTMS) is a promising new noninvasive brain stimulation therapy, its underlying mechanisms of action remain unknown. OCD patients exhibit impaired response control and attention shifting, which is linked to some brain areas such as anterior cingulate cortex and basal ganglia. OCD patients also display altered neurometabolic concentrations in cortical cortical-striatal-thalamic-cortical (CSTC). In this study, we aimed to elucidate efficacy of rTMS treatment in alleviating related symptoms and pregenual anterior cingulate cortex (pACC) neurometabolites. MethodsOCD patients were randomly divided into either drug (n = 23) or drug + rTMS (n = 29) groups, and those in the latter group subjected to 4-week rTMS treatment. All participants were visited twice, at baseline and follow-up after four weeks. During both visits, all patients were subjected to 1H-MRS, then Yale-Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale (Y-BOCS) and the Global Assessment Function (GAF) used to assess severity of obsessive-compulsive symptoms. We also evaluated synchronous anxiety and depression by Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI), Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), Hamilton Anxiety Scale (HAM-A) and Hamilton Depression Scale (HAM-D). ResultsAfter 4 weeks of treatment, patients in the Drug + rTMS group displayed significantly lower Y-BOCS (p = 0.038), BDI (p = 0.009), HAM-D (p = 0.013), HAM-A (p = 0.012) scores than their counterparts in the Drug group. Conversely, patients in the Drug + rTMS group had significantly higher tNAA concentrations (p = 0.030) than those in the Drug group. Notably, the Drug + rTMS group exhibited higher, but insignificant Glu (p = 0.055) and Glx (p = 0.068) concentrations compared to the Drug group. Partial correlation analysis revealed a significant negative correlation between post HAM-A scores and 4-week change of pACC glutamate levels in the Drug + rTMS group (r = −0.434, p = 0.02). ConclusionrTMS treatment is an efficacious treatment therapy for OCD, mainly by inducing changes in neurometabolites.

An analysis of the prevalence and impact of obsessive-compulsive personality disorder on the course of obsessive-compulsive disorder

Introduction Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is a disorder diagnosed on the basis of the presence of obsessions (persistently recurring, intrusive thoughts, images, impulses) and compulsions (compulsive and transiently satisfying actions performed in response to obsessions). A separate clinical phenomenon in the broadly understood anankastic spectrum is obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCPD). OCPD is characterized by scrupulousness, over-normative morality, perfectionism and an inability to make concessions in terms of cooperation. It is assumed that the incidence of OCPD in the course of OCD is 25-32% and it is a report with an unfavorable course and a more difficult therapeutic prognosis. It also means an early onset of OCD with a greater intensity of compulsions and a predominance of symptoms related to the sphere of purity, symmetry and gathering. Objectives The main aims of the study were as follows: 1. To assess the prevalence of OCPD in OCD patients. 2. To compare both groups of patients for the severity, level of insight, aggression, impulsiveness and affective symptoms. 3. To verify whether the presence of OCPD depend on factors such as age, gender, treatment duration and delay in starting treatment. Methods The study was conducted in a group of 78 patients diagnosed with and treated for OCD. The patients were divided into two groups: patients with OCD and OCPD (group 1, n=43) and patients with OCD without OCPD (group 2, n=35). The groups were subsequently compared for the severity of anankastic symptoms, the level of insight, aggression, impulsiveness and its components and affective symptoms (depression, mania). The following tools were used for the diagnosis: Yale-Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale (Y-BOCS), Hamilton Depression-Rating Scale (HDRS), Young Mania Rating Scale (YMRS), Buss-Perry Aggression Questionnaire (BPAQ), Barratt Impulsiveness Scale (BIS-11), Brown Assessment of Beliefs Scale (BABS) and DSM 5 criteria for OCPD. Results Our results confirmed that OCPD is common in OCD and occurred in 55,12% of patients with OCD (n=43; m=21; f=22). The study shows that the presence of OCPD in the course of OCD negatively affects the severity of obsessive-compulsive symptoms, the level of insight, the level of aggression and impulsiveness, and affective disorders. Patients with OCPD obtained higher scores on the YBOCS, BABS, HDRS, and YMRS scales compared to patients with OCD without OCPD. The occurrence of OCPD in the study group did not depend on gender, duration of OCD treatment, or delay in starting it. Conclusions The occurrence of OCPD is common in OCD and can cause delay of treatment, worse course, greater intensity of egosyntonic symptoms, and thus worse insight. The presence of OCPD can lead to more hostility and more affective disorders. Screening for OCPD in patients with OCD should be an integral part of an OCD diagnostic process. Disclosure of Interest None Declared