Research article summary (published 30 Dec 2000):

Is age at symptom onset associated with severity of memory impairment in adults with obsessive-compulsive disorder?

Full Abstract

OBJECTIVE: Age at onset is a potentially important marker for neurobiological features of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). This study examined the relationship between age at symptom onset and memory impairment in adults with OCD. METHOD: The authors used the Rey-Osterrieth Complex Figure Test and the California Verbal Learning Test to compare memory functioning of 37 adult OCD patients with self-reported childhood onset of symptoms (onset at less than 18 years of age) with that of 31 patients with adult-onset symptoms. RESULTS: No differences were found between the two groups on any of the verbal and nonverbal memory measures. CONCLUSIONS: Self-reported age at symptom onset is not associated with memory performance in adult patients with OCD according to tests previously found to be sensitive to frontal-striatal system dysfunction and impairment in OCD. Such dysfunction appears to be a consistent feature of OCD in adults, regardless of age at initial symptom onset.

Author information

Author/s: Henin, A (A); Savage, C R (CR); Rauch, S L (SL); Deckersbach, T (T); Wilhelm, S (S); Baer, L (L); Otto, M W (MW); Jenike, M A (MA);

Affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02129-2060, USA.

Grants: MH01230 (Agency:NIMH NIH HHS)

Journal and publication information

Publication Type: Journal Article; Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't; Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

Journal: The American journal of psychiatry (Am J Psychiatry), published in UNITED STATES. (Language: eng)

Reference: 2001-Jan; vol 158 (issue 1) : pp 137-9

Dates: Created 2001/01/11; Completed 2001/02/22; Revised 2007/11/14;

PMID: 11136649, status: MEDLINE (last retrieval date: 2/18/2009, IMS Date: )

Sourced from the National Library of Medicine. Abstract text and other information may be subject to copyright.

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MeSH headings (categories)

This article was linked to the MESH Headings shown below.

Adolescent Adult Age Factors Age of Onset Comorbidity Female

Humans Male Memory Disorders - diagnosis; epidemiology; psychology Neuropsychological Tests - statistics & numerical data Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder - diagnosis; epidemiology; psychology Severity of Illness Index

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