title: The neuropsychology of obsessive-compulsive personality disorder: a new analysis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Obsessive compulsive personality disorder (OCPD) is characterized by perfectionism, need for control, and cognitive rigidity. Currently, little neuropsychological data exist on this condition, though emerging evidence does suggest that disorders marked by compulsivity, including obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), are associated with impairment in cognitive flexibility and executive planning on neurocognitive tasks.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The current study investigated the neurocognitive profile in a nonclinical community-based sample of people fulfilling diagnostic criteria for OCPD in the absence of major psychiatric comorbidity.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty-one nonclinical subjects who fulfilled Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition (DSM-IV) criteria for OCPD were compared with 15 healthy controls on selected clinical and neurocognitive tasks. OCPD was measured using the Compulsive Personality Assessment Scale (CPAS). Participants completed tests from the Cambridge Automated Neuropsychological Test Battery including tests of set shifting (Intra-Extra Dimensional [IED] Set Shifting) executive planning (Stockings of Cambridge [SOC]), and decision making (Cambridge Gamble Task [CGT]).
  
  
  RESULTS
  The OCPD group made significantly more IED-ED shift errors and total shift errors, and also showed longer mean initial thinking time on the SOC at moderate levels of difficulty. No differences emerged on the CGT.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Nonclinical cases of OCPD showed significant cognitive inflexibility coupled with executive planning deficits, whereas decision-making remained intact. This profile of impairment overlaps with that of OCD and implies that common neuropsychological changes affect individuals with these disorders.
authors.affiliation: 1National Obsessive Compulsive Disorders Specialist Service,Hertfordshire Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust,Queen Elizabeth II Hospital,Welwyn Garden City,UK.
authors.forename: Naomi A
authors.initials: NA
authors.lastname: Fineberg
authors.affiliation: 3School of Life & Medical Sciences,University of Hertfordshire,Hatfield,Hertfordshire,UK.
authors.forename: Grace A
authors.initials: GA
authors.lastname: Day
authors.affiliation: 3School of Life & Medical Sciences,University of Hertfordshire,Hatfield,Hertfordshire,UK.
authors.forename: Nica
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: de Koenigswarter
authors.affiliation: 1National Obsessive Compulsive Disorders Specialist Service,Hertfordshire Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust,Queen Elizabeth II Hospital,Welwyn Garden City,UK.
authors.forename: Samar
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Reghunandanan
authors.affiliation: 1National Obsessive Compulsive Disorders Specialist Service,Hertfordshire Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust,Queen Elizabeth II Hospital,Welwyn Garden City,UK.
authors.forename: Sangeetha
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kolli
authors.affiliation: 3School of Life & Medical Sciences,University of Hertfordshire,Hatfield,Hertfordshire,UK.
authors.forename: Kiri
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Jefferies-Sewell
authors.affiliation: 1National Obsessive Compulsive Disorders Specialist Service,Hertfordshire Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust,Queen Elizabeth II Hospital,Welwyn Garden City,UK.
authors.forename: Georgi
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Hranov
authors.affiliation: 1National Obsessive Compulsive Disorders Specialist Service,Hertfordshire Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust,Queen Elizabeth II Hospital,Welwyn Garden City,UK.
authors.forename: Keith R
authors.initials: KR
authors.lastname: Laws
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001288:Attention / Q000502:physiology; D003193:Compulsive Personality Disorder / Q000523:psychology*; D003657:Decision Making; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D009484:Neuropsychology; D009771:Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder / Q000523:psychology*; D011597:Psychomotor Performance; D012938:Social Perception; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Cognitive flexibility deficits; compulsive personality disorder; executive planning deficits; obsessive; overlapping with disorder criteria; reclassification of OCPD