NEUROPSYCHOLOGICAL PREDICTORS OF TREATMENT RESPONSE TO COGNITIVE BEHAVIORAL GROUP THERAPY IN OBSESSIVE-COMPULSIVE DISORDER.
The available research on the relationship between neuropsychological functioning and the therapeutic outcome of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) has yielded inconsistent results. In this study, our aim was twofold. First, we sought to evaluate the effects of cognitive behavioral group therapy (CBGT) on neurocognitive functions in OCD patients. Second, we assessed the viability of neuropsychological test performance as a predictor of treatment response to CBGT.



One hundred fifty carefully screened OCD patients were randomized to receive either 12-week CBGT (n = 75) or to remain on a waiting list (WL; n = 75) for the corresponding time. Forty-seven participants dropped out of the study, leaving 103 participants that were included in the analysis (CBGT, n = 61; WL, n = 42). Participants had several neuropsychological domains evaluated both at baseline and at end-point.



A significant difference in obsessive-compulsive, anxiety, and depression symptoms was observed between treated patients and controls favoring the CBGT group, but no significant differences were found on neuropsychological measures after 3 months of CBGT. In addition, there were no differences between treatment responders and nonresponders on all neuropsychological outcome measures. Employing a conservative alpha, neuropsychological test performance did not predict CBGT treatment response.



Although the CBGT group demonstrated significant improvement in OCD symptoms, no significant difference was found on all neuropsychological domains, and test performance did not predict treatment response.
Department of Psychiatry, Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Rio Grande do Sul (RS), Brazil. dtbraga@gmail.com.
Daniela T
DT
Braga
Department of Psychology, Texas State University, San Marcos, Texas, USA.
Amitai
A
Abramovitch
Department of Psychiatry and Legal Medicine, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), Rio de Janeiro (RJ), Brazil.
Leonardo F
LF
Fontenelle
Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
Ygor A
YA
Ferrão
Department of Psychiatry, Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Rio Grande do Sul (RS), Brazil.
Juliana B
JB
Gomes
Department of Psychiatry, Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Rio Grande do Sul (RS), Brazil.
Analise S
AS
Vivan
Universidade Federal de Ciências da Saúde de Porto Alegre (UFCSPA), Rio Grande do Sul (RS), Brazil.
Kimberly K
KK
Ecker
Department of Psychiatry, Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Rio Grande do Sul (RS), Brazil.
Cristiane F
CF
Bortoncello
Department of Psychology, Texas State University, San Marcos, Texas, USA.
Andrew
A
Mittelman
Department of Psychiatry, University of São Paulo Faculty of Medicine, São Paulo (SP), Brazil.
Euripides C
EC
Miguel
Department of Psychiatry, Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Rio Grande do Sul (RS), Brazil.
Clarissa M
CM
Trentini
Department of Psychiatry, Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Rio Grande do Sul (RS), Brazil.
Aristides V
AV
Cordioli
D000328:Adult; D014150:Antipsychotic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001569:Benzodiazepines / Q000627:therapeutic use; D015928:Cognitive Behavioral Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D009771:Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy*; D011594:Psychometrics; D011615:Psychotherapy, Group / Q000379:methods*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D014150:Antipsychotic Agents; D001569:Benzodiazepines
CBT; OCD; executive function; group therapy; neuropsychology; treatment response