NEUROPSYCHOLOGY OF OBSESSIVE-COMPULSIVE DISORDER - PRELIMINARY FINDINGS

Neuropsychological findings in obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) hav e yielded inconsistent findings. This study attempted to both examine specific functions hypothesized to be impaired in OCD and more general ized performance variables that may underlie such compromised function . Selected neuropsychological variables were examined in 31 obsessive- compulsive disorder (OCD) patients and 22 age and sex-matched normal c ontrols. OCD patients performed significantly more poorly than normal controls on visuospatial, visuoperceptual and visual discrimination ta sks as well as on set shifting, sequencing and tracking tasks. These f indings were especially prominent in male patients, who also had impai rment on visuoconstructional tasks.