Attitudes toward neurosurgical procedures for Parkinson's disease and obsessive-compulsive disorder

Similar neurosurgical procedures exist for Parkinson's disease (PD) and obs essive-compulsive disorder (OCD). Because PD is seen as It brain dis ease a nd OCD Its 12 disease of the mind, neurologists and psychiatrists may be mo ve aware of and more optimistic toward neurosurgery for PD than for OCD. A questionnaire was sent to randomized American Psychiatric Association and A merican Academy of Neurology members, and 569 of 1,188 eligible members (47 .9%) responded. Some 82.8% of the psychiatrists and 27.4% of the neurologis ts were aware of neurosurgical procedures for OCD, whereas 84.7% of psychia trists and 99.4% of neurologists were aware of neurosurgery for PD (P<0.001 ). Of psychiatrists, 74.1% would refer appropriate patients for OCD neurosu rgery, 67.4% for PD neurosurgery (P = 0.15); of neurologists, 25.6% would r efer for OCD, 94.3% for PD (P<0.001). Specialty affected willingness to ref er for OCD neurosurgery. Specialty and degree of contact with neurosurgeons affect-ed willingness to refer for PD neurosurgery. There is poor physicia n awareness of neurosurgical options for OCD compared with PD, as well as a risk-benefit bias against OCD surgery by the neurologists surveyed.