title: Executive hypercontrol in obsessive-compulsive disorder: electrophysiological and neuropsychological indices.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Neuropsychological, brain imaging and electrophysiological research have consistently shown a dysfunction of fronto-striato-thalamic pathways in subjects with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). The functional meaning of the observed dysfunction in the pathogenesis of OCD is still debated. In the present study the hypothesis that it might be related to a hyperactive executive control is explored by means of neuropsychological and electrophysiological measures.
  
  
  METHODS
  Multilead quantitative EEG (QEEG) characteristics and neuropsychological performance on tests exploring executive functions, attention, short-term memory and the ability to learn supraspan recurring sequences were investigated in 32 drug-free patients with DSM-IV OCD. Multilead QEEG characteristics were also investigated in 32 healthy controls, matched with patients for age, gender and handedness.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A decrease of the slow alpha-band power in OCD as compared to healthy subjects was observed. A significant negative correlation between the slow alpha-band power and the time to complete a neuropsychological test exploring executive functions was found: the more reduced the slow alpha-band power, the slower the performance on this test.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The topographic distribution of the observed QEEG abnormalities, as well as their correlations with neuropsychological indices, suggest an increased activation of frontal networks in OC patients.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Study findings support the presence of a hyperactivity of attention/executive control mechanisms in obsessive-compulsive patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, University of Naples SUN, Largo Madonna delle Grazie, I-80138 Naples, Italy. paolabucci@libero.it
authors.forename: Paola
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Bucci
authors.forename: Armida
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mucci
authors.forename: Umberto
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Volpe
authors.forename: Eleonora
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Merlotti
authors.forename: Silvana
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Galderisi
authors.forename: Mario
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Maj
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001288:Attention / Q000502:physiology*; D001921:Brain / Q000503:physiopathology*; D004569:Electroencephalography; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008568:Memory / Q000502:physiology*; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D009771:Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder / Q000503:physiopathology*