RT Journal Article
T1 Cognitive deficits and clinical symptoms in patients with treatment-refractory obsessive-compulsive disorder: the role of slowness in information processing
A1 Simón Martínez, Vanesa
A1 Laseca Zaballa, Garazi
A1 Lubrini, Genny
A1 Periáñez Morales, José Antonio
A1 Martínez Álvarez, Roberto
A1 Torres Díaz, Cristina V.
A1 Martínez Moreno, Nuria
A1 Álvarez Linera, Juan
A1 Ríos Lago, Marcos
AB Patients with Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) present neuropsychological deficits across different cognitive domains, especially in executive functioning and information processing speed. Some studies have even suggested that speed deficits may underlie poor neuropsychological performance. However, this hypothesis remains unanswered in both OCD general population and OCD refractory subgroup. In addition, it is not clear whether such deficits are secondary to the clinical symptoms or may constitute a primary deficit. The aim of this study was to explore the speed of processing hypothesis in treatment-refractory OCD patients, and to clarify to what extent slowness is related to psychopathological symptoms. Both clinical and neuropsychological examination was conducted to assess 39 OCD refractory patients candidates for neurosurgery and 39 healthy matched individuals. Principal component analysis revealed a three-component structure in the neuropsychological battery being used, including a speed of processing, working memory, and conflict monitoring components. Group comparisons revealed that OCD patients performed significantly worse than healthy individuals in speed measures, but no differences were found in executive tests not influenced by time. Correlation analyses revealed a lack of association between neuropsychological and clinical measures. The results suggest that treatment-refractory OCD patients exhibit a primary deficit in information processing speed independent of clinical symptoms.
PB Elsevier
YR 2021
FD 2021-10
LK https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14352/124676
UL https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14352/124676
LA eng
NO Simón-Martínez V, Laseca-Zaballa G, Lubrini G, Periáñez JA, Martínez Álvarez R, Torres-Díaz CV, Martínez Moreno N, Álvarez-Linera J, Ríos-Lago M. Cognitive deficits and clinical symptoms in patients with treatment-refractory obsessive-compulsive disorder: The role of slowness in information processing. Psychiatry Res. 2021 Oct;304:114143. doi: 10.1016/j.psychres.2021.114143.
NO G. L-Z. was supported by a fellowship from the Fundación Tatiana Pérez de Guzman el Bueno
NO Fundación Tatiana Pérez de Guzman el Bueno
DS Docta Complutense
RD 26 feb 2026