Selective cognitive deficits in obsessive-compulsive disorder compared to panic disorder with agoraphobia.
OBJECTIVE
Visual-spatial and executive functions deficits have been reported in obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). We investigated their specificity comparing cognitive function in OCD, panic disorder with agoraphobia (PD/A) and controls by a comprehensive neuropsychological battery.


METHODS
Fifty-five subjects (25 OCD, 15 PD/A, 15 controls) without current depressive episode underwent structured clinical interview for DSM-IV, Yale-Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale, Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale, Hamilton Depression Rating Scale. Neuropsychological battery assessed: executive functions, visual discrimination, spatial memory and learning, verbal memory, general intellectual functioning.


RESULTS
OCD showed controlled fluency, visual-spatial construction, learning and memory deficits; PD/A spatial learning impairment. OCD was discriminated from PD/A and controls by three tests scores, predicting group membership for 76.4% of the cases.


CONCLUSIONS
Visual-constructive and controlled fluency deficits seem specific in OCD, while the spatial learning deficit, shared with PD patients, may not be disorder-specific, but anxiety-related. Results support the proposed ventral frontal-striatal circuit involvement in OCD.
Boldrini
M
M
Department of Neuroscience, New York State Psychiatric Institute New York, NY, USA. mboldrini@unfi.it
Del Pace
L
L
Placidi
G P A
GP
Keilp
J
J
Ellis
S P
SP
Signori
S
S
Placidi
G F
GF
Cappa
S F
SF
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000379:Agoraphobia / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D039721:Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008569:Memory Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D009771:Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D016584:Panic Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013028:Space Perception