Obitofrontal cortex dysfunction in obsessive-compulsive disorder? I. Alternation learning in obsessive-compulsive disorder: male-female comparisons

Background: We have previously reported a significant negative correlation between severity of symptoms and performance of an alternation learning tas k in female obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) patients. The present study was aimed at exploring this relationship between alternation learning and OCD symptom severity in male OCD patients. Methods and results: Eighteen fe male obsessive-compulsive disorder patients and 14 male non-depressed, drug free, OCD patients participated in the study. Measures of dorsolateral pre frontal function (Wisconsin Card Sorting Test) and orbitofrontal cortex fun ction (object alternation learning) showed no significant differences betwe en the sexes. The relationship between orbitofrontal cortex function and se verity of OC symptoms was significantly different between the sexes (z=2.44 , P=0.007). While this correlation was negative in the females it was posit ive in the males. Conclusions: These results may indicate sexual dimorphism in OCD. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.