Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease with features of obsessive-compulsive disorder and anorexia nervosa: the role of cortical-subcortical systems.

Full Abstract

The authors examined the clinical and neuropathological characteristics of a patient who developed features of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and anorexia nervosa (AN) as the initial presentation of Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease. He had mild Parkinsonism and showed deficits in visual scanning, set shifting, graphomotor speed, sequencing, and verbal and nonverbal memory. Neuropathological study showed spongiosis and neuronal loss in cortical (e.g., frontal, temporal, parietal), and especially in subcortical structures (e.g., basal ganglia, thalamus). This study supports the hypothesis of abnormal frontal-striatal functioning in the cause of OCD, even in demented subjects. In addition, the authors discuss the role of frontal-temporal-subcortical dysfunction in the cause of acquired AN.

Author information

Author/s: Lopez, O L (OL); Berthier, M L (ML); Backer, J T (JT); Boller, F (F);

Affiliation: Department of Neurology, Alzheimer's Disease Research Center University of Pittsburgh, School of Medicine, Pennsylvania, USA.

Grants: AG05133 (Agency:NIA NIH HHS) ; KO1 MH-0177 (Agency:NIMH NIH HHS) ; MH30915 (Agency:NIMH NIH HHS)

Journal and publication information

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

Journal: Neuropsychiatry, neuropsychology, and behavioral neurology (Neuropsychiatry Neuropsychol Behav Neurol), published in UNITED STATES. (Language: eng)

Reference: 1997-Apr; vol 10 (issue 2) : pp 120-4

Dates: Created 1997/08/07; Completed 1997/08/07; Revised 2007/11/14;

PMID: 9150513, status: MEDLINE (last retrieval date: 2/18/2009, IMS Date: )

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