IS HYPERAROUSAL ESSENTIAL TO OBSESSIVE-COMPULSIVE DISORDER - DIMINISHED PHYSIOLOGICAL FLEXIBILITY, BUT NOT HYPERAROUSAL, CHARACTERIZES PATIENTS WITH OBSESSIVE-COMPULSIVE DISORDER

Citation
R. Hoehnsaric et al., IS HYPERAROUSAL ESSENTIAL TO OBSESSIVE-COMPULSIVE DISORDER - DIMINISHED PHYSIOLOGICAL FLEXIBILITY, BUT NOT HYPERAROUSAL, CHARACTERIZES PATIENTS WITH OBSESSIVE-COMPULSIVE DISORDER, Archives of general psychiatry, 52(8), 1995, pp. 688-693
Citations number
41
Categorie Soggetti
Psychiatry,Psychiatry
ISSN journal
0003990X
Volume
52
Issue
8
Year of publication
1995
Pages
688 - 693
Database
ISI
SICI code
0003-990X(1995)52:8<688:IHETOD>2.0.ZU;2-9
Abstract
Objective: To examine the hypothesis that the pathologic features of o bsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) are facilitated by abnormal levels of arousal, we compared patients with OCD with controls on self-report s and psychophysiologic measures. Methods: Twenty-three patients with OCD were compared with 21 controls on rating scales and on psychophysi ologic measures (ie, heart interbeat interval, skin conductance, respi ration, blood pressure, and electromyographic activity) during rest an d during two psychologically stressful tasks. Results: Patients rated themselves higher on psychic and somatic anxiety scales. Mean physiolo gic activities were not elevated at rest. During tasks, changes in ele ctrodermal, cardiovascular (except blood pressure), and muscle activit ies were smaller in patients with OCD, indicating decreased physiologi c flexibility. Conclusions: Hyperarousal, measured peripherally, is no t an essential pathologic feature of OCD. Decreased physiologic flexib ility indicates an anxiety-related, but not OCD-specific, impairment o f psychophysiologic reactivity to one's environment.