Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and triggering life events

The purpose of this paper is to review literature data on OCD onset in orde r to investigate whether OCD onset is significantly associated with the fre quency and/or the severity of life events occuring in the year before, and whether these are specific events related to the onset of OCD. Results from studies performed on OCD samples do net paint toward a higher number ora higher severity of life events prior to OCD onset as compared to non-psychiatric samples drawn from the general population. The difference between OCD patients and comparison subjects emerged when considering speci fic life events related to OCD onset. Delivery and streptococcal infections have been proven to exert an influence on triggering some forms of OCD. OCD whose onset is related to delivery (postpartum OCD) or to a streptococc al infection (PANDAS) appears to be characterized by peculiar clinical feat ures that allow clinicians to postulate that these forms are distinct clini cal entities whithin the OCD spectrum. The better clinical characterization of these forms and the confirmation of the role of these Life events in tr iggering OCD onset would provide researchers with models of pathogenesis th at could be useful in identifying more effective therapeutic approaches at least to the treatment of these froms of OCD.