Hoarding disorder and obsessive–compulsive disorder show different patterns of neural activity during response inhibition

Although hoarding disorder (HD) has been historically conceptualized as a subtype or dimension of obsessive–compulsive disorder (OCD), preliminary evidence suggests that these two disorders have distinct neural underpinnings. The aim of the present study was to compare the hemodynamic responses of HD patients, OCD patients, and healthy controls (HC) during response inhibition on a high-conflict Go/NoGo task that has previously proved sensitive to OCD. Participants comprised 24 HD patients, 24 OCD patients, and 24 HCs who completed a Go/NoGo task during functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). Although behavioral data showed no difference among the groups in Go/NoGo task performance, significant differences in hemodynamic activity were noted. During correct rejects (successful response inhibition), HD patients showed greater right precentral gyrus activation, whereas OCD patients exhibited greater right orbitofrontal activation, as assessed using a region of interest approach. During errors of commission (response inhibition failures), OCD patients, but not HD patients, were characterized by excessive activity in left and right orbitofrontal gyrus. The present results lend further support to the biological distinction between HD and OCD, and they are consistent with previous research suggesting frontal hypoactivity in HD patients during hoarding-unrelated tasks.     

An initial investigation of the relationships between hoarding and smoking

Cigarette smokers have increased rates of mood and anxiety-related conditions. Hoarding is another anxiety-related condition that has yet to be examined in relation to smoking behavior. The current investigation sought to examine smoking rates among a sample of individuals with hoarding disorder and individuals with non-hoarding obsessive–compulsive disorder (OCD). Additionally, we examined the relationship between hoarding symptoms and reasons for smoking. Participants in Study 1 consisted of 57 individuals with non-hoarding OCD or hoarding disorder. Participants in Study 2 consisted of 661 adult daily smokers. Results revealed that a significantly greater proportion of individuals diagnosed with hoarding were current smokers compared to the non-hoarding OCD group. Additionally, hoarding severity was associated with negative affect reduction expectancies. These results provide important information regarding smoking behaviors within hoarding disorder. Given the poor treatment outcomes and negative health risks associated with hoarding, this information could inform future research and treatment programs.     

A model-based analysis of decision making under risk in obsessive-compulsive and hoarding disorders

Attitudes towards risk are highly consequential in clinical disorders thought to be prone to “risky behavior”, such as substance dependence, as well as those commonly associated with excessive risk aversion, such as obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and hoarding disorder (HD). Moreover, it has recently been suggested that attitudes towards risk may serve as a behavioral biomarker for OCD. We investigated the risk preferences of participants with OCD and HD using a novel adaptive task and a quantitative model from behavioral economics that decomposes risk preferences into outcome sensitivity and probability sensitivity. Contrary to expectation, compared to healthy controls, participants with OCD and HD exhibited less outcome sensitivity, implying less risk aversion in the standard economic framework. In addition, risk attitudes were strongly correlated with depression, hoarding, and compulsion scores, while compulsion (hoarding) scores were associated with more (less) “rational” risk preferences. These results demonstrate how fundamental attitudes towards risk relate to specific psychopathology and thereby contribute to our understanding of the cognitive manifestations of mental disorders. In addition, our findings indicate that the conclusion made in recent work that decision making under risk is unaltered in OCD is premature.     

Diogenes syndrome in a patient with obsessive-compulsive disorder without hoarding

Diogenes syndrome (DS) is characterized by self-neglect, classically portrayed by a filthy personal appearance, dirty home, and hoarding of rubbish. We report a patient with DS who presented obsessive–compulsive disorder and Tourette syndrome in the absence of hoarding. We suggest that hoarding may be a symptom of the conditions that are frequently comorbid with DS, but is not one of its fundamental features.     

Effect of naltrexone on food intake and hoarding in white-footed mice (Peromyscus)

Increases in food consumption and hoarding in mammals have been shown to be immediate and preparative adjustments to the energetic stresses of temperate winters. The sensitivity of these behaviors to the opiate antagonist naltrexone was tested in non-deprived white-footed mice (Peromyscus leucopus). Mice received naltrexone hydrochloride intraperitoneally (10 mg/kg in saline vehicle) once daily for four consecutive days subsequent to an equivalent period of injection with saline as control. Daily food intake was significantly (p less than 0.05) lower after naltrexone treatment. Hoarding, as assessed by logarithmic hoarding scores and the weight of cached food, was not affected by administration of this drug at this dosage. These results suggest that hoarding, a complex behavioral pattern that does not immediately affect internal energy stores, may not fall within the opiate regulatory scheme.     

Hoarding behavior of AKR,C57BL/6 mice and their F1 in their home living space: An automatic recording technique

Earlier genetic analysis of food hoarding behavior in mice used test situations in which animals were allowed to hoard food only during short time periods. This paper describes a technique to measure food hoarding over long time-periods. Small discs of standard food are equipped with a steel clip and each passage of a mouse bringing such a food disc from the food search enclosure to the nest is detected by an electromagnetic sounding lead connected to a pen recorder. Preliminary results show that female mice begin to hoard earlier than males; one of the two reciprocal F₁ has a shorter latency to hoard than the other one. Results also show differences between two parental inbred strains and their reciprocal F₁ for the light-dark distribution of hoarding.     

Error-related negativity in individuals with obsessive-compulsive symptoms: toward an understanding of hoarding behaviors

The error-related negativity (ERN), an event-related potential component elicited by error responses in cognitive tasks, has been shown to be abnormal in most, but not all, studies of obsessive-compulsive disorder or obsessive-compulsive symptoms (OCD/S); these inconsistencies may be due to task selection, symptom subtype, or both. We used meta-analysis to further characterize the ERN in OCD/S, and pooled data across studies to examine the ERN in OCD/S with hoarding. We found an enhanced ERN in OCD/S relative to controls, as well as heterogeneity across tasks. When stratified, OCD/S showed a significantly enhanced ERN only in response conflict tasks. However, OCD/S + hoarding showed a marginally larger ERN than OCD/S-hoarding, but only for probabilistic learning tasks. These results suggest that abnormal ERN in OCD/S is task-dependent, and that OCD/S + hoarding show different ERN activity from OCD/S − hoarding perhaps suggesting different pathophysiological mechanisms of error monitoring.     

Cognitive functioning in compulsive hoarding

The aim of this study is to determine whether neurocognitive performance distinguishes individuals with compulsive hoarding (CH) from those with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). Compared to control subjects, OCD patients and CHs scored significantly worse on the Serial Reaction Time Task suggesting disturbed implicit memory in both patient groups. On the Iowa Gambling Task, an overall learning progression difference over time was found between the CHs, OCD group, and control subjects, suggesting differences in decision-making between the groups. The groups did not differ in performance on the Stop Signal Reaction Time Task (motor inhibition). This study found evidence for impaired implicit memory in CHs, but also in OCD patients, albeit less severe. There was evidence that OCD patients learned more slowly on a decision-making task than CHs and control subjects. This latter finding provides some evidence to suggest that CH and OCD have, at least on this one measure, differing cognitive substrates.     

Hoarding Behaviors and Alcohol Use: The Mediating Role of Emotion Dysregulation

Background: Despite recent research establishing high rates of comorbidity between hoarding disorder and alcohol use disorders (AUD), no studies have systemically examined the associations between symptoms of hoarding and alcohol use. Moreover, no studies have explored potential mechanisms that may help to explain these relations. Objectives: Thus, the current study was designed to examine the associations between hoarding and AUD symptoms, as well as the mediating role of emotion dysregulation. Methods: Self-report measures of hoarding, depression, anxiety, alcohol use, and emotion regulation were collected in a sample of 574 adults (M age = 35.43, SD = 12.57; 62% female). Results: Even when controlling for depression and anxiety, AUD symptoms were associated with overall hoarding severity (β =.23, p <.001) as well as acquiring symptoms (β =.16, p =.03). Further, the relation between hoarding symptoms and AUD symptoms was mediated by difficulties regulating emotions (B =.04, 95% CI [.02,.06]). Conclusions/Importance: Results of the current study suggest that increased alcohol use may be one way in which individuals with hoarding symptoms attempt to regulate their emotions.