COMPARİSON OF COGNİTİVE FUNCTIONS IN PATIENTS WITH AUTOGENOUS AND
REACTIVE OBSESSIVE- COMPULSIVE DISORDER
Abstract
Objective Obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) is an illness that has a
heterogeneous nature. Recently, obsessions have been classified as
autogenous and reactive obsessions according to their cognitive
development characteristics. In this study, it was aimed to compare the
cognitive functions of reactive and autogenous OCD groups. Methods 67
OCD patients were divided into autogenous and reactive subgroups and the
difference between the groups in terms of cognitive functions was
examined. Patients with depression and other major mental illnesses were
excluded from the study. A comprehensive battery of neuropsychological
tests consisting of the Rey auditory verbal learning test (AVLT), the
Wisconsin card sorting test (WCST), and the Stroop test were
administered to evaluate the attention, memory, and executive functions
of the patients. Results There is no significant difference for gender,
mean age, years of education, marital status and medication between two
groups. As a result, BDI scores of autogenous OCD patients were
significantly higher than those of reactive OCD patients. Reactive OCD
patients were found to have lower AVLT -Rey 6 subtest scores, which are
indicative of memory and proactive interference, than in the autogenous
group. Conclusion The existence of possibly different neurobiological
basis between autogenous and reactive OCD groups suggests that, there
may be differences in cognitive functions among these patient groups. It
is thought that there is a need for studies to be carried out in larger
sample groups with more specific neuropsychological tests.