Prevalence Of Obsessive-compulsive Symptoms Research Articles

Romantic relationship obsessive-compulsive doubts, perfectionism, and DSM-5 personality traits in LGB people: a comparison with heterosexual individuals.

Relationship Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder is characterized by the presence of relationship-centered or partner-focused obsessions and compulsions that determine a great sense of doubt toward the partner or the relationship. Personality characteristics, including perfectionism, are involved in the development of Relationship Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, and could predispose the individual to excessive doubts and preoccupations regarding the "adequacy of the couple" or the physical appearance of one's partner. Evidence from epidemiological research shows that the LGB community can present a high risk and prevalence of obsessive-compulsive symptoms and recent research demonstrated the usefulness of the DSM-5 personality model in understanding the personality of sexual minorities. However, further research is necessary to deepen our knowledge of the relationship between these variables in the LGB community. The aim of the present study was to compare a group of heterosexual individuals to a group of LGB individuals regarding personality traits, perfectionism, and relationship obsessive-compulsive symptoms. A total of 200 participants, 98 in the heterosexual group and 102 in the LGB group, were enrolled in the study and completed a psychological battery comprised of the Obsessive-Compulsive Inventory-Revised, Personality Inventory for DSM-5, Relationship Obsessive-Compulsive Inventory, Partner-Related Obsessive-Compulsive Symptom Inventory, and Multidimensional Perfectionism Scale. The results show that LGB individuals tend to report greater feelings of doubt regarding the partner's love, more negative emotions (Negative Affect) and Antagonism, and greater perfectionism traits compared to heterosexual individuals. These findings underline the necessity to consider the implementation of personalized interventions in clinical practice and the importance of initiating early preventive programs in sexual minority communities.

Prevalence of Obsessive Compulsive Symptoms in Medical and Dental Practitioners with Respect to Gender

Obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) comprises of mental images that provoke anxiety and fear and are recurrent. Objective: To find the prevalence of OCD symptoms in medical doctors and dentists with respect to gender. Methods: The study design was cross sectional comparative. It was conducted in College of Dentistry, Sharif Medical and Dental College Lahore. All practitioners irrespective of their age and gender were included in the study. Individuals practiced in a clinic or hospital for less than 6 months were excluded from the study. Obsessive compulsive inventory scale was used for data collection. Results: Gender of medical doctors and dentists and the symptom of washing (p=0.335, p=0.760 respectively), obsessing (p=0.131, p=0.476 respectively), checking (p=0.620, p=1.000 respectively) and neutralizing (p=0.294, p=1.000 respectively) was not significantly associated. The association between the symptom of ordering and gender of medical practitioners (p=0.05) was statistically significant. The association between gender of dental practitioners with hoarding (p=0.188), ordering (p=0.713) and doubting (p=1.000) was non-significant. Conclusions: Among the medical practitioners the symptoms of washing, obsessing, checking and neutralizing were higher in males as compared to the females. Among the dental practitioners the symptom of washing, obsessing and neutralizing were more prevalent in males while the symptom of checking was more prevalent in females. The symptoms of hoarding, ordering and doubting were more prevalent in males in comparison to female medical practitioners. Among the dental practitioners where the prevalence of hoarding was higher in the males while that of ordering and doubting was higher in the females.

Prevalence of Obsessive-Compulsive Symptoms in Patients with Schizophrenia at a Tertiary Care Center, Karnataka

Prevalence of Obsessive-Compulsive Symptoms in Patients with Schizophrenia at a Tertiary Care Center, Karnataka

Polygenetic risk scores and phenotypic constellations of obsessive–compulsive disorder in clozapine-treated schizophrenia

Obsessive–compulsive symptoms (OCS) are frequently observed in individuals with schizophrenia (SCZ) treated with clozapine (CLZ). This study aimed to analyze prevalence of OCS and obsessive–compulsive disorder (OCD) in this subgroup and find possible correlations with different phenotypes. Additionally, this is the first study to examine polygenetic risk scores (PRS) in individuals with SCZ and OCS. A multicenter cohort of 91 individuals with SCZ who were treated with CLZ was recruited and clinically and genetically assessed. Symptom severity was examined using the Positive and Negative Symptom Scale (PANSS), Clinical Global Impression Scale (CGI), the Calgary Depression Scale for Schizophrenia (CDSS), Global Assessment of Functioning Scale (GAF) and Yale–Brown Obsessive–Compulsive Scale (Y-BOCS). Participants were divided into subgroups based on phenotypic OCS or OCD using Y-BOCS scores. Genomic-wide data were generated, and PRS analyses were performed to evaluate the association between either phenotypic OCD or OCS severity and genotype-predicted predisposition for OCD, SCZ, cross-disorder, and CLZ/norclozapine (NorCLZ) ratio, CLZ metabolism and NorCLZ metabolism. OCS and OCD were frequent comorbidities in our sample of CLZ-treated SCZ individuals, with a prevalence of 39.6% and 27.5%, respectively. Furthermore, the Y-BOCS total score correlated positively with the duration of CLZ treatment in years (r = 0.28; p = 0.008) and the PANSS general psychopathology subscale score (r = 0.23; p = 0.028). A significant correlation was found between OCD occurrence and PRS for CLZ metabolism. We found no correlation between OCS severity and PRS for CLZ metabolism. We found no correlation for either OCD or OCS and PRS for OCD, cross-disorder, SCZ, CLZ/NorCLZ ratio or NorCLZ metabolism. Our study was able to replicate previous findings on clinical characteristics of CLZ-treated SCZ individuals. OCS is a frequent comorbidity in this cohort and is correlated with CLZ treatment duration in years and PANSS general psychopathology subscale score. We found a correlation between OCD and PRS for CLZ metabolism, which should be interpreted as incidental for now. Future research is necessary to replicate significant findings and to assess possible genetic predisposition of CLZ-treated individuals with SCZ to OCS/OCD. Limitations attributed to the small sample size or the inclusion of subjects on co-medication must be considered. If the association between OCD and PRS for CLZ metabolism can be replicated, it should be further evaluated if CYP1A2 alteration, respectively lower CLZ plasma level, is relevant for OCD development.

Prevalence and Correlates of Obsessive-Compulsive Symptoms in Individuals With Schizophrenia, Schizoaffective Disorder, or Bipolar Disorder.

Objective: Although frequently reported in psychosis, obsessive-compulsive symptoms (OCS) are often not recognized and thus undertreated. We aimed to estimate the prevalence of OCS and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) in patients with schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorder, or bipolar disorder in clinical records and identify clinical associations of OCS co-occurrence.Methods: Data were retrieved from the South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust Biomedical Research Centre case register. The study population was restricted to individuals diagnosed with schizophrenia (ICD F20.x), schizoaffective disorder (ICD F25.x), or bipolar disorder (ICD F31.x) between 2007 and 2015. OCS and OCD were ascertained from structural fields and via Natural Language Processing software applied to free-text records. Clinical characteristics were obtained from Health of the Nation Outcome Scales for the analyses on associations between clinical characteristics and OCS/OCD status using logistic regressions with confounders considered.Results: 22,551 cases of schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorder, or bipolar disorder were identified in the observation window. Among these, 5,179 (24.0%) were identified as having OCS (including an OCD diagnosis) and 2,574 (11.9%) specifically with comorbid OCD. OCS/OCD was associated with an increased likelihood of recorded aggressive behavior (OR = 1.18; 95% CI, 1.10-1.26), cognitive problems (OR = 1.21; 95% CI, 1.13-1.30), hallucinations and delusions (OR = 1.11; 95% CI, 1.04-1.20), and physical problems (OR = 1.17; 95% CI, 1.09-1.26).Conclusions: OCS and OCD are frequently recorded for patients with schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorder, and bipolar disorder and are associated with more severe psychiatric clinical characteristics. Automated information extraction tools hold potential to improve recognition and treatment of co-occurring OCS/OCD for psychosis.

Клініко-терапевтичні особливості пацієнтів із шизотиповим розладом з обсесивно-компульсивною симптоматикою

Introduction. The prevalence of obsessive-compulsive symptoms in modern conditions of high stress and the lack of detailed recommendations for this category of patients determine the relevance of this publication. The emergence of suffering at a young age forms insufficiently adaptive behaviors and complicates the socialization of such persons. And the emergence of these symptoms within different etiological disorders requires the development of differentiated diagnostic and therapeutic approaches. Materials and methods. The study involved 69 outpatients with leading obsessive-compulsive disorder within schizotypal disorder (F21). The following methods were used: clinical-psychopathological, psychodiagnostic, clinical-follow-up and mathematical statistics. Patients were examined using psychodiagnostic techniques: clinical scale of obsessions and Yel-Brown compulsions (Y-BOCS - Obsessive-compulsive Scale); hospital anxiety and depression scale (HADS); quality of life scale (Chaban OS, 2008); multidimensional scale of perception of social support ("MSPSS" D. Zimet); questionnaire "Lifestyle Index" ("LSI" by R. Plutchik - G. Kellerman - H. R. Conte), method "Psychological diagnosis of coping behavior strategy" by R. Lazarus. Results. The clinical typology of these symptoms: type of avoidance, type of ambivalence and type of accumulation was studied by processing the clinical scale of obsessions and Yel-Brown compulsions (Y-BOCS) in patients with schizotypal disorder (F21). It was found that these symptoms were accompanied by anxiety and depressive symptoms only at the subclinical level, which indicates a lack of criticism of one’s condition. In patients with the leading obsessive-compulsive symptoms in schizotypal disorder, not quite mature variants of the protective structure are actualized, namely, substitution (62.3%), displacement (60.9%), regression (58%) and denial (26.1%). The leading coping strategies of such individuals are self-control (73.9%) and escape-avoidance (55.1%), which differs significantly from the strategies more often used by patients with ACS at the neurotic level. We have proposed a program of comprehensive treatment of this group of patients. Patients were divided into 2 groups, the first of which received a combined (differentiated psychopharmacological interventions and psychotherapy) option of therapy, and the second – only differentiated psychopharmacotherapy. The psychotherapeutic formulation was determined by different focus targets depending on the type of obsessive-compulsive symptoms and consisted of a combination of techniques of cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) and gestalt therapy (GT). The results of the follow-up study indicate the effective impact of the developed treatment and rehabilitation program on all components of the mental state and social functioning of patients with all types of obsessive-compulsive symptoms of subpsychotic level. Conclusions. The leading types of ACS in schizotypal disorder and features of psychosocial functioning in patients have been identified, which allowed to create a differentiated approach to the formation of a program of their comprehensive treatment and rehabilitation. Such persons need mandatory psychopharmacotherapy and differentiated psychotherapeutic intervention. The application of the program made it possible to improve the mental state and quality of life and achieve the optimal level of adaptation of patients in various spheres of life, increase periods of remission and prevent recurrence of the disorder.

The COVID-19 Pandemic and the Obsessive-Compulsive Phenomena, in the General Population and among OCD Patients: A Systematic Review

Introduction: An increase in obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) was predicted as a consequence of the COVID-19 pandemic and the measures established for controlling it. Aims: This review seeks to analyze the relationship between the COVID-19 pandemic and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), and in particular the pandemic’s effect on the prevalence of obsessive-compulsive (OC) symptoms, predisposing factors, interventions carried out, their effectiveness and the proposal of interventions in future situations similar to the one studied. Methods: For this purpose, a systematic review of empirical articles, published from November 2019 to June 2022, is carried out, following the PRISMA methodology. The review was registered in Open Science Forum [10.17605/OSF.IO/DV8GZ]. Results: The studies indicated an increase in the prevalence of OC symptoms in the general population, as well as new obsessions, relapses, and/ or worsening of the pre-existing symptoms in patients with OCD mainly related to contamination obsessions and cleaning and hand washing compulsions. Predisposing factors are being younger, low resilience, low social support, the presence of previous contamination symptoms, overexposure to news about COVID-19, the previous severity and aggressiveness of OC symptomatology, and the absence or lack of treatment adherence. The combined use of pharmacological treatment, cognitive-behavioral therapies, teaching skills to reinforce resilience, and training in coping strategies will be recommended. Conclusions: The data obtained can be used as a basis for future OCD prevention plans in crises similar to the one studied.

Prevalence of obsessive-Compulsive symptoms and the level of fear due to COVID-19 pandemic among the undergraduate medical students in a tertiary care unit in Southern India.

The emergence of COVID-19 and its consequences is causing widespread fears, anxiety, and worries. To overcome the transmission of COVID-19, people resorted to compulsive behaviors. The objectives of this study were to assess the prevalence of obsessive-compulsive symptoms (OCSs) due to COVID-19 pandemic, the prevalence of level of fear due to COVID-19 pandemic, and to assess the factors associated with OCSs due to COVID-19 pandemic among the undergraduate medical students of in tertiary unit in Southern India. The cross-sectional study was conducted in 250 undergraduate medical students (both MBBS and BDS, from 1st to 4th year) in the institute. Students who had consented in the study were included as study participants. The Yale-Brown Obsessive-Compulsive Scale and Fear of COVID-19 Scale (FCV-19 S) were used in assessing OCSs and the level of fear due to COVID-19. Chi-square test and multiple logistic regression were used to compute the factors associated with OCS. The mean age of the respondents was 21 ± 1.313 years. The prevalence of OCS in undergraduate medical students was 36 (14.4%), and the level of FCV-19 was 107 (42.8%). Male students (17.8%, 44.2%) had higher OCSs and levels of fear as compared to female students (13.6%, 42.4%). Students with FCV-19 were three (adjusted odds ratio-3.418, 95% confidence interval-1.596, 7.319) times more likely to manifest OCSs while factors such as age, gender, and course were not significantly associated with OCS. Psychological counseling for undergraduate students should be pivotal, especially during pandemics and outbreaks.

Obsessive-compulsive symptoms in schizophrenia patients and their first-degree relatives and the association with subclinical psychotic symptoms

Objective This study aimed to investigate the presence of obsessive-compulsive symptoms (OCS) in patients being followed for schizophrenia and their first-degree relatives (mother, father, siblings, and children) and the relationship between OCS and clinical/subclinical psychotic symptoms. Materials and methods The study included 110 schizophrenia patients followed up in a community mental health center and their first-degree relatives. Patients and relatives were evaluated using the SCID-I (Structured Clinical Interview Form for DSM-IV Axis-I Disorders) to ascertain their diagnosis and exclude other axis-I diagnoses. The Yale-Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale was used to measure OCS severity. Psychotic symptom severity was evaluated in patients using the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) and subthreshold psychotic symptoms and psychosis proneness were assessed in relatives using the Schizotypal Personality Questionnaire. Results The prevalence of clinically significant OCS was 41.8% in schizophrenia patients and 28.2% in their relatives. PANSS positive and general psychopathology subscale scores were higher in patients with OCS. Suspiciousness and interpersonal schizotypy scores were significantly higher in relatives with OCS compared to those without. The first-degree relatives of patients with OCS did not exhibit a higher prevalence of OCS or psychotic symptoms compared to the relatives of patients without OCS. Conclusion Our study demonstrates that obsessive-compulsive phenomena are common in schizophrenia patients and their relatives. Although there seems to be a positive association between OCS and psychotic symptoms in patients and their first-degree relatives, the intergenerational transmission of these two symptom groups may occur independently.

Comparing the Effectiveness of Schema Therapy and Emotional Schema Therapy on Emotion Regulation of Individuals with Obsessive Compulsive Symptoms

Abstract Introduction: Due to the prevalence of Obsessive Compulsive Symptoms (OCS), it seems that actions should be taken to prevent its recurrence. Therefore, the purpose of the present study was to compare the effectiveness of Schema Therapy (ST) and Emotional Schema Therapy (EST) on the emotion regulation of patients with OCS. Method: This semi-experimental study was carried out on 24 patients with OSC in three groups of ST (n=8), EST (n=8) and control (n=8) in Mashhad, Iran. The intervention groups received individual EST and ST Sessions. The data were collected by Maudsley Obsessive-Compulsive Scale (MOCAI) and Emotion Regulation Questionnaire (ERQ) in four stages of pre-test, post-test, one and three months follow up. The MANOVA test was utilized to analyze data. Results: During the above stages, the mean score of expressive suppression and cognitive reappraisal subscales fell and soared significantly in the EST group, respectively (p <0.05). There was a significant difference between the groups of intervention and control in terms of the average total obsessive-compulsive score and its sub-scales except for the slow sub-scales during all three stages after the intervention, one month later and three months later (p <0.05). Conclusion: Although both ST and EST methods had an effect on the improvement of emotion regulation and OCS, the EST was more effective on improving emotion regulation. Therefore, it is recommended to consider EST with a larger sample size in people with OCS.

Co-occurrence of schizo-obsessive traits and its correlation with altered executive control network functional connectivity.

The prevalence of obsessive-compulsive symptoms (OCS) in schizophrenia patients is as around 30%. Evidence suggested that mild OCS could reduce symptoms of schizophrenia, supporting the presence of compensatory functions. However, severe OCS could aggravate various impairments in schizophrenia patients, supporting the "double jeopardy hypothesis". Patients with schizo-obsessive comorbidity, schizophrenia patients and obsessive-compulsive disorder patients have been found to have similarities in executive dysfunctions and altered resting-state functional connectivity within the executive control network (ECN). Executive functions could be associated with the ECN. However, little is known as to whether such overlap exists in the subclinical populations of individuals with schizo-obsessive traits (SOT), schizotypal individuals and individuals with high levels of obsessive-compulsive symptoms (OCS). In this study, we recruited 30 schizotypal individuals, 25 individuals with OCS, 29 individuals with SOT and 29 controls for a resting-state ECN-related functional connectivity (rsFC) and a go/shift/no-go task. We found that individuals with SOT exhibited increased rsFC within the ECN compared with controls, while schizotypal individuals exhibited the opposite. Individuals with OCS exhibited decreased rsFC within the ECN and between the ECN and the default mode network (DMN), relative to controls. No significant correlational results between altered rsFC related to the ECN with executive function performance were found after corrections for multiple comparisons in three subclinical groups. Our findings showed that individuals with SOT had increased rsFC within the ECN, while schizotypal individuals and individuals with OCS showed the opposite. Our findings provide evidence for possible neural substrates of subclinical comorbidity of OCS and schizotypy.

PREVALENCE OF OBSESSIVE COMPULSIVE SYMPTOMS IN PSYCHIATRIC DISORDERS: A CROSS SECTIONAL STUDY

Background : Obsessive compulsive symptoms (OCS) have known to co-occur with various psychiatric disorders and have an impact on severity and course of these psychiatric disorders. Knowing the prevalence of OCS in different psychiatric disorders can give a better understanding about the illness and help in shaping its management. This study aims at finding prevalence, types &amp; severity of OCS in patients presenting with different psychiatric disorders in Psychiatry Out patient department at a tertiary care institute. Methodology : A total of 380 patients were included in the. Clinical diagnosis of obsessions &amp; compulsions was made as per criteria in Diagnostic &amp; Statistical Manual for Mental Disorders Fourth Edition, Text Revision (DSM IV- TR). Yale brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale (YBOCS) was applied for assessing severity of obsessive compulsive symptoms. Results &amp; Conclusion: Prevalence of OCs in Psychiatric Disorders to be 5%. The Prevalence of OCS in patients with Psychotic Disorders was found to be 9.9% , in patients with Mood Disorders was found to be 6.6%, in patients with Anxiety Disorders was found to be 2.3% and in patients with Substance Use Disorders was found to be 1.8%. The most common Form of Obsession was Obsessive Thoughts (31.6%), the most common Content was Inanimate-Impersonal (31.6%) and the most common Compulsion was Washing (60%). Mean YBOCS Score of all 19 patients was 9.95 (SD=5.1, Median=9). 36.8% patients had Subclinical Severity (0-7), 47.4% patients had Mild Severity (8-15) and 15.8% patients had Moderate Severity (16-23). Psychotic &amp; mood disorders were further assessed for types &amp; severity of OCS. Though the prevalence of OCS in current study is less compared to previous studies, it still is significant. Thus various psychiatric disorders should be evaluated for presence of OCS.

Prevalence of Obsessive-Compulsive Symptoms in Elderly Parkinson Disease Patients: A Case-Control Study

BackgroundThe clinical picture of obsessive-compulsive disorder encompasses a broad range of symptoms that are related to multiple psychological domains, including perception, cognition, emotion, and social relatedness. As obsessive-compulsive symptoms (OCS) frequently have an early onset, there are limited data about OCS in older populations (≥65 years) and, in particular, in elderly subjects with Parkinson disease (PD). ObjectiveThis study aimed to estimate the prevalence of OCS using a self-report measure (Obsessive-Compulsive Inventory-Revised) and to identify associated sociodemographic and clinical factors in a sample of elderly PD patients compared to a comparison group of similarly aged healthy volunteers. ResultsThe mean age was 74 ± 6 years in the PD patients and 73 ± 7 years in the comparison group. The mean disease duration was 9.6 ± 5.8 years. Among the PD patients, 30.7% reported at least one OCS or a related disorder compared to 21.1% in the comparison group. Hoarding was significantly more common in PD patients than in the comparison group. ConclusionsSubclinical OCS were present at a high percentage in both PD patients and comparison group. The OCS phenotype in PD may present differently, as hoarding was more common in PD patients.

Obsessive-Compulsive Symptomatology in Community Youth: Typical Development or a Red Flag for Psychopathology?

Obsessive-compulsive symptoms (OCS) are common throughout development and often considered developmentally appropriate. We evaluated the prevalence and phenotypic heterogeneity of self-reported OCS in a large community youth sample not ascertained for seeking mental-health help. We aimed to identify patterns in OCS that are associated with serious psychopathology and may thus represent a "red flag" that merits psychiatric evaluation. Data were analyzed from youth from the Philadelphia Neurodevelopmental Cohort (N= 7,054, aged 11-21 years, 54% female). Participants underwent structured psychiatric interviews, including screening for OCS (8 obsessions, 8 compulsions, and hoarding) and other major psychopathology domains. Factor analysis was conducted to identify clustering of OCS presentation. Regression models were used to investigate association of OCS with threshold lifetime diagnoses of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), depressive episode, psychosis, and suicide ideation. OCS were common in non-mental health-seeking individuals (38.2%), although only 3% met threshold OCD criteria. OCS were more common in female participants and postpuberty. Factor analyses resulted in 4 factors: F1 - Bad Thoughts; F2- Repeating/Checking; F3 - Symmetry; F4 - Cleaning/Contamination; and Hoarding as a separate item. All OCS were associated with higher rates of OCD, depression, psychosis, and suicide ideation. However, endorsement of F1 symptoms, prevalent in more than 20% of the sample, showed the most substantial associations with major psychiatric conditions. OCS are common in community youth. Although for most youths OCS symptoms may be benign, some patterns of OCS are associated with major psychiatric conditions. These findings may help to identify youth at risk for serious psychopathology.

Obsessive–compulsive symptoms in schizophrenia: prevalence and associated factors in a Nigerian population

Objectives: The objectives of this study were to determine the prevalence of obsessive–compulsive symptoms (OCS) among subjects with schizophrenia and also to determine their associated factors.Methods: A cross-sectional study involving 232 patients with schizophrenia were recruited from a teaching hospital in Nigeria. Socio-demographic questionnaire, Obsessive–Compulsive Inventory, Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale and Suicidality module of the MINI International Neuropsychiatric Inventory were administered.Results: The prevalence of OCS was 54.3% among patients with schizophrenia, and washing symptom was the most common (51.7%). Patients with schizophrenia that had OCS had more severe psychopathologies and higher levels of suicidality. OCS among patients with schizophrenia were also associated with the use of second-generation antipsychotic medications.Conclusions: OCS are common in schizophrenia. Hence, there is a need for routine screening of patients with schizophrenia for OCS and then, manage them appropriately.

Prevalence and correlates of obsessive–compulsive symptoms in a sample of undergraduate clinical medical students in Osogbo, Southwestern Nigeria

Background: Obsessive–compulsive symptoms (OCS) may be common, yet, under-recognised and under-reported among medical students. Their presence is associated with other mental disorders which could have negative impacts on the academic functioning of medical students. Objectives: The objective is to assess the prevalence and correlates of OCS in a sample of Nigerian clinical medical students. Methods: This is a cross-sectional descriptive study conducted among 209 Nigerian medical students in their clinical training years. They completed a sociodemographic questionnaire, the Obsessive-Compulsive Inventory-Revised, the Depression and Anxiety Stress Scale – 21 and the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale. Results: The prevalence of OCS was 32.1%. Depression, anxiety and stress were present in 13.9%, 27.8% and 35.4% of the respondents, respectively. The presence of OCS was associated with stress, anxiety, depression and low self-esteem among the medical students. Conclusions: OCS is relatively common among clinical medical students. Their presence may worsen the difficulties experienced among medical students in the course of their training. There may be a need to be screening clinical medical students for the presence of OCS.

Schizo-obsessive spectrum disorders: an update.

The presence of obsessive-compulsive symptoms (OCS) and obsessive-compulsive disorders (OCD) in schizophrenia is frequent, and a new clinical entity has been proposed for those who show the dual diagnosis: the schizo-obsessive disorder. This review scrutinizes the literature across the main academic databases, and provides an update on different aspects of schizo-obsessive spectrum disorders, which include schizophrenia, schizotypal personality disorder (SPD) with OCD, OCD with poor insight, schizophrenia with OCS, and schizophrenia with OCD (schizo-obsessive disorder). An epidemiological discussion on the discrepancies observed in the prevalence of OCS and OCD in schizophrenia across time is provided, followed by an overview of the main clinical and phenomenological features of the disorder in comparison to the primary conditions under a spectral perspective. An updated and comparative analysis of the main genetic, neurobiological, neurocognitive, and pharmacological treatment aspects for the schizo-obsessive spectrum is provided, and a discussion on endophenotypic markers is introduced in order to better understand its substrate. There is sufficient evidence in the literature to demonstrate the clinical relevance of the schizo-obsessive spectrum, although little is known about the neurobiology, genetics, and neurocognitive aspects of these groups. The pharmacological treatment of these patients is still challenging, and efforts to search for possible specific endophenotypic markers would open new avenues in the knowledge of schizo-obsessive spectrum.

Induced Obsessive Compulsive Symptoms (OCS) in schizophrenia patients under Atypical 2 Antipsychotics (AAPs): review and hypotheses.

The prevalence of OCS and OCD is higher in schizophrenic patients than in the general population. These disorders are sometimes induced by AAPs. There is higher frequency of OCS and greater severity in patients treated with antipsychotics with predominant anti-serotoninergic profiles opposed to those with predominant dopaminergic blockade. Induced OCS may be due to complex neuromodulation involving many serotonin, dopamine and glutamate receptors and several subtypes. Concerning connectivity, AAPs differentially influence the BOLD signal, depending on the intensity of D2 receptor blockade. The OFC could play a significant role, on account of its involvement in inhibitory control. There is a paradox: AAPs are efficient as augmentation to SSRI in treatment resistant OCD, some of them such as risperidone or aripiprazole have favourable effects in schizoptypic OCD, but AAPs cause induced OCS in schizophrenic patients. When prescribing AAPs, we should inform patients about this potential side effect and assess systematically OCS with Y-BOCS assessment after 1 month of treatment. Afterwards there are different strategies: Aripiprazole in combination can reduce OCS induced by clozapine, SSRI are slightly effective and CBT shows a few encouraging results. OCS are sometimes dose-dependent, so we also recommend prescribing the minimum effective dose and gradual introduction.

Obsessive-compulsive and posttraumatic stress symptoms among civilian survivors of war.

BackgroundSeveral psychological sequelae have been identified in civilian war survivors. However, little is known about the prevalence of obsessive-compulsive symptoms and their relationship to trauma in this population.MethodFifty-one adult civilian survivors of the Kosovo War (28 males) who had immigrated to Switzerland completed the Revised Obsessive-Compulsive Inventory Scale, the Posttraumatic Stress Diagnostic Scale and the Hopkins Symptom Checklist. Data were analysed using multiple regression analyses.ResultsOverall, 35 and 39 % of the sample scored above the cut-offs for likely obsessive-compulsive disorder and posttraumatic stress disorder, respectively. Participants with high levels of posttraumatic stress symptoms were significantly more likely to have obsessive-compulsive symptoms, and vice versa. In multiple regression analysis, gender and severity of posttraumatic stress symptoms were predictors of obsessive-compulsive symptoms, whereas number of traumatic life event types and depressive symptoms were not.ConclusionGiven the small sample size, the results of this study need to be interpreted cautiously. Nevertheless, a surprisingly high number of participants in our study suffered from both obsessive-compulsive and posttraumatic stress symptoms, with obsessive-compulsive symptoms tending to be more pronounced in women. It remains, therefore, critical to specifically assess both obsessive-compulsive and posttraumatic stress symptoms in civilian war survivors, and to provide persons afflicted with appropriate mental health care.

Suicidality in clozapine-treated patients with schizophrenia: Role of obsessive-compulsive symptoms

Patients with schizophrenia have an increased lifetime risk of comorbid obsessive-compulsive symptoms. Up to 30% of these patients experience such symptoms and 12% may be diagnosed with obsessive-compulsive disorder. The presence of these symptoms in schizophrenia seems to be associated with poor outcomes including a greater suicidal risk. A subgroup of patients develops this symptomatology after the initiation with Second Generation Antipsychotics (SGA). Also, there is evidence of a causal relationship for this association, particularly for clozapine. The primary aim of this study was to investigate the association of this comorbidity with suicidality in a population of clozapine-medicated schizophrenic and schizoaffective patients (N=65). The prevalence of obsessive-compulsive symptoms in our sample was 29.2% (N=19) and the prevalence of obsessive-compulsive disorder was 13.8% (N=9). Significant positive correlations between suicidality and total Y-BOCS score and between Y- BOCS score and depressive symptoms were found. Further analysis indicated that a Y-BOCS score greater or equal than 8 was an independent predictor of suicide attempt during clozapine treatment. Routine screening for this adverse event should be warranted for this population.