title: Sensory properties of obsessive thoughts in OCD and the relationship to psychopathology.
abstract: For decades hallucinations and perception-laden thoughts were considered specific indicators of schizophrenia. This assumption has been revised over the years. Novel studies indicate that a subgroup of patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), borderline disorder or depression display hallucinations and "loud"/perceptual thoughts. The present study examined the frequency of sensory-laden obsessive thoughts and their relationship with the severity of obsessive-compulsive, paranoid and depressive symptoms in a sample of 137 OCD patients who were recruited via the Internet. Participants were asked to fill out the Sensory Properties of Obsessions Questionnaire (SPOQ), the Obsessive-Compulsive Inventory-Revised (OCI-R), the Paranoia Checklist and the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ9). In line with a prior study, a total of 72% displayed perceptual intrusions (i.e. vivid obsessions). Correlations emerged between perceptual thoughts and obsessive-compulsive, paranoid and depressive symptoms. Results further strengthen the assumption of a continuum ranging from "silent" thoughts to vivid intrusions and hallucinations.
authors.affiliation: University Medical Center Hamburg Eppendorf, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Martinistraße 52, 20246 Hamburg, Germany.
authors.forename: Jana
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Röhlinger
authors.affiliation: University Medical Center Hamburg Eppendorf, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Martinistraße 52, 20246 Hamburg, Germany.
authors.forename: Falk
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Wulf
authors.affiliation: University Medical Center Hamburg Eppendorf, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Martinistraße 52, 20246 Hamburg, Germany.
authors.forename: Martina
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fieker
authors.affiliation: University Medical Center Hamburg Eppendorf, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Martinistraße 52, 20246 Hamburg, Germany. Electronic address: moritz@uke.uni-hamburg.de.
authors.forename: Steffen
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Moritz
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006212:Hallucinations / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009771:Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology*; D010258:Paranoid Behavior / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D013850:Thinking / Q000502:physiology*
keywords: Continuum; Intrusion; Obsessive-compulsive disorder; Perception; Psychopathology