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Memory and strategic processing in first-degree relatives of obsessive compulsive patients

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  10 March 2010

C. Segalàs ,
P. Alonso ,
E. Real ,
A. Garcia ,
A. Miñambres ,
J. Labad ,
A. Pertusa ,
B. Bueno ,
S. Jiménez-Murcia  and
J. M. Menchón
C. Segalàs*
Affiliation:
OCD Clinical and Research Unit, Department of Psychiatry, Bellvitge University Hospital, Barcelona, Spain Department of Psychiatry and Clinical Psychobiology, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
P. Alonso
Affiliation:
OCD Clinical and Research Unit, Department of Psychiatry, Bellvitge University Hospital, Barcelona, Spain CIBERSAM (Centro de Investigación en Red de Salud Mental), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Spain Department of Clinical Sciences, Bellvitge Campus, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
E. Real
Affiliation:
OCD Clinical and Research Unit, Department of Psychiatry, Bellvitge University Hospital, Barcelona, Spain
A. Garcia
Affiliation:
Department of Mental Health, Centres Assistencials Dr. Emili Mira i López, Av. Santa Coloma de Gramenet, Barcelona, Spain
A. Miñambres
Affiliation:
Hospital Sant Joan de Déu – Serveis de Salut Mental, Sant Boi de Llobregat, Barcelona, Spain
J. Labad
Affiliation:
OCD Clinical and Research Unit, Department of Psychiatry, Bellvitge University Hospital, Barcelona, Spain
A. Pertusa
Affiliation:
OCD Clinical and Research Unit, Department of Psychiatry, Bellvitge University Hospital, Barcelona, Spain
B. Bueno
Affiliation:
OCD Clinical and Research Unit, Department of Psychiatry, Bellvitge University Hospital, Barcelona, Spain
S. Jiménez-Murcia
Affiliation:
OCD Clinical and Research Unit, Department of Psychiatry, Bellvitge University Hospital, Barcelona, Spain CIBEROBN (Ciber Fisiopatologia Obesidad y Nutrición), Instituto Salud Carlos III, Spain
J. M. Menchón
Affiliation:
OCD Clinical and Research Unit, Department of Psychiatry, Bellvitge University Hospital, Barcelona, Spain CIBERSAM (Centro de Investigación en Red de Salud Mental), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Spain Department of Clinical Sciences, Bellvitge Campus, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
*
*Address for correspondence: Dr C. Segalàs, Department of Psychiatry, Hospital Universitario de Bellvitge, c/ Feixa Llarga s/n, 08907 Hospitalet de Llobregat, Barcelona, Spain (Email: csegalas@bellvitgehospital.cat)
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Abstract

Background

The same executive dysfunctions and alterations in neuroimaging tests (both functional and structural) have been found in obsessive-compulsive patients and their first-degree relatives. These neurobiological findings are considered to be intermediate markers of the disease. The aim of our study was to assess verbal and non-verbal memory in unaffected first-degree relatives, in order to determine whether these neuropsychological functions constitute a new cognitive marker for obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD).

Method

Recall and use of organizational strategies in verbal and non-verbal memory tasks were measured in 25 obsessive-compulsive patients, 25 unaffected first-degree relatives and 25 healthy volunteers.

Results

First-degree relatives and healthy volunteers did not show differences on most measures of verbal memory. However, during the recall and processing of non-verbal information, deficits were found in first-degree relatives and patients compared with healthy volunteers.

Conclusions

The presence of the same deficits in the execution of non-verbal memory tasks in OCD patients and unaffected first-degree relatives suggests the influence of certain genetic and/or familial factors on this cognitive function in OCD and supports the hypothesis that deficits in non-verbal memory tasks could be considered as cognitive markers of the disorder.

Keywords

Endophenotypeexecutive dysfunctionneuropsychologynon-verbal memoryobsessive-compulsive disorderorganizational strategiesverbal memory
Type
Original Articles
Information
Psychological Medicine , Volume 40 , Issue 12 , December 2010 , pp. 2001 - 2011
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2010

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