HIGHER PREVALENCE OF OBSESSIVE-COMPULSIVE SYMPTOMS IN PATIENTS WITH BLEPHAROSPASM THAN IN PATIENTS WITH HEMIFACIAL SPASM

Objective: The prevalences of obsessive-compulsive symptoms in patient s suffering from blepharospasm and in those with hemifacial spasm were determined. The two conditions have similar symptoms, but only blepha rospasm is etiologically linked to basal ganglia dysfunction. Method: After being interviewed with the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM -III-R, 13 patients with blepharospasm and 13 with hemifacial spasm co mpleted the SCL-90-R and the Hamburg Obsession/Compulsion Inventory-Sh ort Form. Results: Patients in the blepharospasm group had significant ly more obsessive-compulsive symptoms, as indicated by higher scores o n the Hamburg Obsession/Compulsion Inventory-Short Form, than the pati ents with hemifacial spasm. SCL-90-R scores were in the normal range f or nine and Eight categories, respectively (out of nine). Conclusions: The findings provide additional support for the hypothesis that obses sive-compulsive symptoms are related to basal ganglia dysfunction.