title: Neurological examination in obsessive-compulsive disorder.
abstract: Recent studies suggest the occurrence of a neurological dysfunction in Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD). The purpose of the present study was to verify the clinical value of a neurological evaluation in patients with the disease. We submitted 15 patients with OCD (five of whom were under clomipramine) and 15 controls in a detailed neurological examination, including assessment of the neurological soft-signs. Eleven patients (73.3 percent) and four controls (26.7 percent) presented abnormalities on examination. The main findings among the patients were: palmomental reflex (six cases); mirror movements (five cases); agraphestesia and dysdiadochokinesia (three cases). Three out of the four patients who had a normal examination were on clomipramine. Palmomental reflex was the main finding among the controls. These results, although preliminary, stress the interest and usefulness of performing a detailed neurological examination in OCD.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, University of São Paulo School of Medicine, Brazil.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Caramelli
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: de Lima
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Stip
authors.forename: L A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Bacheschi
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002997:Clomipramine / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009460:Neurologic Examination; D009771:Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy
chemical_list: D002997:Clomipramine