An exploratory study on obsessive-compulsive disorder with and without a familial component: are there any phenomenological differences?
Familial studies on obsessive-compulsive disorders (OCD) have suggested that OCD is a heterogeneous condition, with some cases being familial and others being isolated cases in their families. Nevertheless, no studies evaluated whether there are clinical differences between OCD cases with and without a familial component. The current report presents data on the prevalence of OCD in first-degree relatives of OCD probands and compares phenomenological characteristics of familial and non-familial OCD types. The family study and the family history methods were used to estimate the prevalence of OCD in first-degree relatives of 74 OCD probands. A statistical comparison between OCD probands with and without familial loading was performed using Pearson's chi(2) test, Fisher's exact test, or Student's t test when appropriate. The rate of OCD was 3.5% in directly interviewed first-degree relatives. Eleven percent of the probands had at least one family member with OCD. There were no differences between the two types of OCD (familial vs. non-familial) except for life events prior to the onset of OCD, which were more common and more severe in non-familial OCD subtypes. In conclusion, our results (1) confirm that there is a familial component in the expression of some forms of OCD and (2) indicate that familial OCD patients are not characterized by peculiar clinical features, but appear to have a lower threshold for precipitating events.
Albert
Umberto
U
Department of Neuroscience, Anxiety and Mood Disorders Unit, University of Turin, Turin, Italy.
Maina
Giuseppe
G
Ravizza
Luigi
L
Bogetto
Filippo
F
D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008016:Life Change Events; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009771:Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder / Q000235:genetics* / Q000523:psychology*; D015995:Prevalence; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D012307:Risk Factors; D012720:Severity of Illness Index