title: Computerized tomography and neuropsychological test measures in adolescents with obsessive-compulsive disorder.
abstract: The authors administered CAT scans and neuropsychological tests to 16 adolescents with obsessive-compulsive disorder (mean age +/- SD = 13.7 +/- 1.6 years) and 16 matched controls. The patients had a mean ventricular-brain ratio (VBR) significantly higher than the controls' and showed spatial-perceptual deficits similar to those found in patients with frontal lobe lesions. Memory, reaction time, and decision time did not differ significantly from controls'. Neurodevelopmental examination of seven patients yielded a high frequency of age-inappropriate synkinesias and left hemibody signs. These results suggest CNS dysfunctioning in children with obsessive-compulsive disorder, with possible right cerebral involvement. However, the patients' neuropsychological test deficits and VBRs were not correlated.
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001921:Brain / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology; D002552:Cerebral Ventricles / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D002648:Child; D004292:Dominance, Cerebral; D004569:Electroencephalography; D005260:Female; D005625:Frontal Lobe / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D006849:Hydrocephalus / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology; D008297:Male; D009460:Neurologic Examination; D009771:Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology; D011581:Psychological Tests; D011597:Psychomotor Performance; D011930:Reaction Time; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D014888:Wechsler Scales