CLINICAL-FEATURES OF OBSESSIVE-COMPULSIVE DISORDER IN ELDERLY PATIENTS

There has been no systematic study of the clinical features of obsessi ve-compulsive disorder (OCD) in elderly patient. This study describes the symptoms and characteristics of OCD among 32 outpatients age 60 or older and 601 younger patients meeting DSM-III-R criteria and given t he Yale-Brown Obsessive-Compulsive Scale (YBOCS), NIMH scale, and a 41 -item symptom questionnaire. Elderly patients had a later age at onset compared with younger patients. No differences were found in severity of symptoms on the YBOCS. Elderly patients had fewer concerns about s ymmetry, need to know, and counting rituals. Hand-washing and fear of having sinned were more common. There were few differences in clinical features of OCD among the elderly patients compared with younger OCD patients.