Quality of life in obsessive-compulsive disorder: the different impact of obsessions and compulsions

BACKGROUND: Patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) are troubled by repeated obsessions and/or compulsions, which seem senseless and frequently repugnant. OBJECTIVE: The study examines the differential impact of obsessions and compulsions on the quality of life (QoL) of patients with OCD. METHODS: Seventy-five patients (43 females, 32 males) between 21 and 62 years old with OCD (ICD 10 F42.0-F42.2) were recruited from the outpatient clinic for anxiety disorders at the Department of Psychiatry of the University of Leipzig. The severity of OCD symptoms was assessed by the Yale Brown Obsessive-Compulsive Scale (a standardized, clinician-administered scale), and depressiveness was assessed with the Beck Depression Inventory (a self-report instrument). QoL was assessed by means of the WHOQOL-BREF, a self-administered questionnaire developed by WHO. RESULTS: Compulsions reduced patients' QoL in the WHOQOL-BREF domains 'physical well-being', 'psychological well-being' and 'environment', whereas obsessions did not have any impact on QoL ratings. Depressive symptoms were a strong predictor of poor QoL in OCD patients. CONCLUSIONS: In order to judge the QoL of OCD patients, obsessions and compulsions have to be considered differently. Diagnosing and treating depressive symptoms is important for improving the QoL in OCD.     

Clonazepam treatment of obsessions and compulsions

Obsessive compulsive disorder has recently been successfully treated with antidepressants that selectively inhibit serotonin reuptake, and a serotonergic hypothesis related to the etiology and treatment of obsessive compulsive disorder has been proposed. Clonazepam, a novel benzodiazepine, uniquely affects serotonergic neurotransmission. It has been employed in the treatment of other neuropsychiatric syndromes that respond to serotonergic medications. Three patients with obsessive compulsive disorder who were treated with clonazepam for periods of up to 1 year experienced substantial improvement in their symptoms. Clonazepam had a rapid onset of antiobsessive action with accompanying decreases in both depression and anxiety. One patient showed reductions in obsessions and compulsions that were equivalent to or greater than those seen during previous treatment with clomipramine: Clonazepam may be a useful alternative to serotonergic antidepressants in patients who cannot tolerate the toxic effects of these medications.     

Inter-rater reliability of a classification of obsessions and compulsions

Weighted kappa and random error coefficient was used to determine inter-rater reliability of a proposed classification of obsessions and compulsions. A high reliability was found between 3 raters for obsessive and compulsive form and content. This classification allows for greater precision in classifying obsessive-compulsive phenomena in research.     

Atypical Hallervorden-Spatz disease with preserved cognition and obtrusive obsessions and compulsions.

We describe the case of an adult female with Hallervorden-Spatz disease (HSD), "eye-of-the-tiger" sign on cranial magnetic resonance imaging scan, and two mutations in the pantothenate kinase 2 (PANK2) gene. Symptomatic presentation included stuttering dysarthria, dystonic posturing, increased limb and axial muscle tone, choreoathetosis, stereotyped motor behaviors, and obsessive-compulsive symptomatology since adolescence. Extensive neuropsychological testing at 40 and 44 years of age revealed a relatively normal IQ and stable cognitive pattern overall. This case demonstrates that HSD patients who survive into middle age should not be assumed to have a progressive dementia. In such cases, atypical behavioral problems such as persistent obsessions and compulsions may be present instead.     

Quality of life in multiple sclerosis: the impact of depression, fatigue and disability.

This study deals with the assessment of quality of life and its main clinical and demographical determinants in a clinical series of 103 patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) (37 men; 66 women; mean age 44.89 years; mean disease duration 12.40 years; mean EDSS score 4.07). We used the MSQOL-54 inventory, a disease-specific instrument recently validated in an Italian population. Each patient underwent a complete clinical assessment, including that of disability status (Expanded Disability Status Scale), cognitive function (Mini Mental State Examination), depression (Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression) and fatigue (Fatigue Severity Scale). In terms of Pearson's correlations, there was a moderate inverse relationship between disability level and the MSQOL-54 physical composite score, and a moderate to strong inverse correlation between depression or fatigue severity and both the physical and mental composite scores. In a stepwise linear regression analysis, depression, fatigue and disability level were confirmed to be significant and independent predictors of quality of life. Quality of life instruments can help to provide a broader measure of the disease impact and to develop a care program tailored to the patient's needs.     

Association of obsessions and compulsions in schizophrenia with neurocognition and negative symptoms

It is unclear whether obsessions and compulsions in schizophrenia spectrum disorders are associated with a unique pattern of symptoms and deficits. Accordingly, the present study compared symptom levels and neurocognitive function of participants with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder with (n=11) and without (n=52) significant obsessive-compulsive symptoms. Analyses of variance revealed that the obsessive-compulsive group performed more poorly on measures of executive function and vigilance and had higher levels of negative and emotional discomfort symptoms. Unexpectedly, the obsessive-compulsive group also demonstrated superior performance on a measure of visual memory. The implications of these clinical correlates of obsessive-compulsive phenomena in schizophrenia spectrum disorders are discussed.     

The nature and treatment of compulsions,obsessions, and rituals in people with developmental disabilities

Developmental disabilities such as intellectual disability and autism are often accompanied by special sets of behaviors which are major challenges for the person and those in their community. Among the most worrisome of these are compulsions, rituals and obsessions. Often these behaviors are left untreated; however, when intervention does occur it is often with pharmacotherapy. There are psychological treatments for these issues as well but a concerted focus to develop these procedures, unlike efforts in differential diagnosis, has not occurred. Additionally, no reviews of how best to treat these problematic behaviors have been published to date. The present paper reviews what is available with respect to these treatment approaches with an eye to what appears to be effective, what has been treated and what is yet to be explored from a research point of view.     

Diagnosis and treatment of postpartum obsessions and compulsions that involve infant harm

Obsessive-compulsive symptoms in the postpartum period often include intrusive thoughts of harming the infant and rituals that result in avoidance of the baby. The differential diagnosis of women who develop these symptoms includes postpartum major mood disorders, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and psychosis with infanticidal thoughts. The treatment of the most common diagnoses, mood disorders and obsessive-compulsive disorder, includes serotonergic drugs, psychoeducation to help the patient understand that she is highly unlikely to harm her infant, and exposure with response prevention therapy. This intervention involves exposure of the patient to the feared situations, which are usually related to infant care, while simultaneously preventing the compulsive rituals.     

Acute onset and remission of obsessions and compulsions following medical illnesses and stress

Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) is generally chronic. Episodic OCD with complete remission has been rarely reported. Two cases of brief, episodic obsessions and compulsions that appeared for the first time following psychological stress and in the context of medical illness are reported. The possibility of brief episodes of OCD precipitated by stress is illustrated. Exploration of this phenomenon may help us learn more about OCD in general.     

Quality of life with OCD. A self-reported survey among members of the Danish OCD Association

Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is today the fourth most frequent diagnosis issued within psychiatry. OCD can be quite incapacitating for the affected person and often becomes chronic. The purpose of the present study has been to help illuminate the character of the quality of life among the members of the Danish OCD Association. The data was compiled from 406 questionnaires sent out to all those members of the Danish OCD Association who had reported to suffer from OCD. The level of response was 54.4%. Persons with OCD signalled striking influences on their academic, occupational and social functions and thereby a corresponding influence on their quality of life in general. Emerging were significant levels of comorbidity and suicidal tendency. The time interval between symptom onset and the establishment of a correct diagnosis was found to be 13 years in average in this study. There appeared to be a marked tardiness in treatment as a consequence of the latency period between onset of symptoms and the establishment of a diagnosis. This has proven to be of importance in relation to the provision of proper treatment, the developmental course of the OCD condition, and not least in the quality of life for the person with OCD as well as his/her family members.     

Gilles de la Tourette syndrome and the neurological basis of obsessions and compulsions

Gilles de la Tourette syndrome (GTS) is a chronic neurological disorder manifested by involuntary motor tics and vocalizations. Many GTS patients also suffer from obsessions and compulsions. The clinical similarities between GTS and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), their occurrence among members of the same families, and the fact that both can be observed as symptoms of known basal ganglia disturbances suggest that GTS and OCD share common neurological mechanisms. It is hypothesized that the tics and vocalizations of GTS are aberrant manifestations of simple motor programs that are spontaneously generated by the basal ganglia and that obsessions and compulsions represent more complex motor plans initiated by similar anomalous activities.     

Quality of life with OCD. A self-reported survey among members of the Danish OCD association

Obsessive–compulsive disorder (OCD) is today the fourth most frequent diagnosis issued within psychiatry. OCD can be quite incapacitating for the affected person and often becomes chronic. The purpose of the present study has been to help illuminate the character of the quality of life among the members of the Danish OCD Association. The data was compiled from 406 questionnaires sent out to all those members of the Danish OCD Association who had reported to suffer from OCD. The level of response was 54.4%. Persons with OCD signalled striking influences on their academic, occupational and social functions and thereby a corresponding influence on their quality of life in general. Emerging were significant levels of comorbidity and suicidal tendency. The time interval between symptom onset and the establishment of a correct diagnosis was found to be 13?years in average in this study. There appeared to be a marked tardiness in treatment as a consequence of the latency period between onset of symptoms and the establishment of a diagnosis. This has proven to be of importance in relation to the provision of proper treatment, the developmental course of the OCD condition, and not least in the quality of life for the person with OCD as well as his/her family members.     

Acute changes in obsessions and compulsions following moderate-intensity aerobic exercise among patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder

Aerobic exercise can acutely influence anxious and depressive mood in both clinical and nonclinical populations. However, there are no existing studies that have examined the acute effect of exercise on mood, anxiety, obsessions, and compulsions in patients with OCD. The primary aim of this study was to examine acute changes in these symptoms after engaging in single exercise sessions during a 12-week exercise intervention for 15 (53% female; mean age = 41.9 years) patients with OCD. Participants reported reductions in negative mood, anxiety, and OCD symptoms at the end of each exercise session relative to the beginning. Changes in the magnitude of the effect of exercise in reducing negative mood and anxiety remained fairly stable while levels of self-reported obsessions and compulsions decreased over the duration of the intervention. Results of this study point toward the promising effect of exercise for acute symptom reduction in patients with OCD.     

Quality of life in patients with multiple sclerosis: the impact of fatigue and depression

Quality of Life (QOL) is impaired in multiple sclerosis (MS) in part due to physical disability. MS-associated fatigue (MSF) and depression (MSD) are common and treatable features of MS, which could also impact on QOL, independent of physical disability. We prospectively studied 60 consecutive patients with MS. QOL was assessed using Multiple Sclerosis Quality of Life (MSQOL)-54. Group differences in QOL scores were assessed after adjusting for Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS), Fatigue Severity Scale (FSS) and Hamilton Depression Inventory scores. MS patients were grouped into relapsing-remitting (RR) or secondary-progressive (SP), MSF (FSS> or =5) or MS-nonfatigue (MSNF) (FSS< or =4), and MSD or MS-nondepression (MSND). After accounting for disability and depression, fatigue was associated with impaired QOL with respect to health perception (p=0.03) and limitations due to physical dysfunction (p=0.008). After accounting for disability and fatigue, depression was associated with lower QOL with respect to health perception (p=0.02), sexual dysfunction (p=0.03), health distress (p=0.03), mental health (p=0.006), overall QOL (p=0.006), emotional dysfunction (p=0.04), and limitations due to emotional dysfunction (p=0.03). This study demonstrates that fatigue and depression are independently associated with impaired QOL in MS, after accounting for physical disability, suggesting that their recognition and treatment can potentially improve QOL.     

Quality of life in children with OCD before and after treatment

Quality of life (QoL) is a well-established outcome measure. In contrast to adult obsessive–compulsive disorder (OCD), little is known about the effects of treatment on QoL in children with OCD. This study aimed to assess QoL after cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) in children and adolescents with OCD compared with the general population and to explore factors associated with potential changes in QoL after treatment. QoL was assessed in 135 children and adolescents (ages 7–17; mean 13 [SD 2.7] years; 48.1 % female) before and after 14 CBT sessions, using self-report and a caregivers proxy report of the Questionnaire for Measuring Health-related Quality of Life in Children and Adolescents (KINDL-R). QoL was compared with an age- and gender-matched sample from the general population. Before treatment, QoL was markedly lower in children with OCD compared with the general population. QoL improved significantly in CBT responders (mean score change 7.4), to the same range as QoL in the general population. Non-responders reported no QoL changes after treatment, except for one patient. Comorbidity, family accommodation and psychosocial functioning were not associated with changes in QoL after treatment. To our knowledge, this is the first study of the changes in QoL after treatment of paediatric OCD. The assessment of QoL beyond symptoms and function in children with OCD has been shown to be reliable and informative. The results of this study support the application of QoL assessment as an additional measure of treatment outcome in children and adolescents with OCD.     

Obsessions and compulsions in women with postpartum depression

OBJECTIVE: The quantity, content, and intensity of the obsessions and compulsions of women with postpartum onset major depressive disorder were compared with those of women with major depressive disorder with non-postpartum onset. METHOD: Sequential cases of women with postpartum onset major depression (N = 37) and major depression (N = 28) who presented to our Women's Mood Disorders program were included. Psychiatric examination using DSM-IV criteria and the Inventory to Diagnose Depression established the diagnosis of major depression. Obsessive thoughts and compulsions were reported on the Yale-Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale and reviewed during the psychiatric examination. Comparisons between groups were performed with chi-square statistics, Fisher exact test and its extensions, and Mann-Whitney U test. RESULTS: Although more women with postpartum onset major depression (N = 21, 57%) than major depression (N = 10, 36%) reported obsessional thoughts, the difference between the groups was not significant (p = .13). However, for women who endorsed obsessions, those with postpartum onset had a higher median number (median = 7) than women without postpartum onset (median = 2, p = .00). Most of the difference in frequency of thoughts was owing to more women with postpartum onset major depression having aggressive thoughts (N = 20, 95%) than women with major depression (N = 6, 60%, Fisher exact p = .03). The most frequent content of the aggressive thoughts for women with postpartum onset major depression was causing harm to their newborns or infants. The presence or number of obsessional thoughts or compulsions was not related to severity of the depressive episode. CONCLUSION: Childbearing-aged women commonly experience obsessional thoughts or compulsions in the context of major depressive episodes. Women with postpartum onset major depression experience disturbing aggressive obsessional thoughts more frequently than women with non-postpartum major depression.     

Two types of impairments in OCD: Obsessions,as problems of thought suppression; compulsions,as behavioral-executive impairment

Impairments in executive functioning have been identified as an underlying cause of Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD). Obsessive patients attempt to suppress certain unwanted thoughts through a mechanism that Wegner referred to as ‘chronic thought suppression’, whereas compulsive patients are unable to inhibit their rituals. We tested 51 OCD patients using the Yale-Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale (Y-BOCS), the White Bear Suppression Inventory (WBSI) and the Dysexecutive Questionnaire (DEX). Executive functions were tested using a cognitive test battery. We found that the total WBSI score was correlated with the Y-BOCS obsessive score but not with the Y-BOCS compulsive score. A stronger correlation was observed between the Y-BOCS obsessive score and the ‘unwanted intrusive thoughts’ factor based on Blumberg's 3-factor model of the WBSI. The total WBSI score was not correlated with the cognitive test results. The DEX score was significantly correlated with the Y-BOCS compulsive score; however, no correlation was found between the DEX score and the Y-BOCS obsessive score. A stronger correlation was observed between the Y-BOCS compulsive score and the ‘inhibition’ component of the DEX score, as defined by Burgess's 5-factor model. The DEX scores were correlated with cognitive test results measuring attention, cognitive flexibility and inhibitory processes. We conclude that obsessions indicate a failure of cognitive inhibition but do not involve significant impairment of executive functions, whereas compulsions indicate ineffective behavior inhibition and impaired executive functions.