The Neuropsychological Profile of Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder in Young Adults

The purpose of this thesis is to compare the cognitive functioning in young adults with OCD against same-aged healthy controls. Current neuropsychological findings in adults with OCD are mixed, thus by examining cognitive functioning in young adults with OCD aged 18-29 years could clarify whether deficits emerge during this time. A neuropsychological battery was administered to both groups. Results: Comparable performance was found in inhibitory control, information processing speed, motor speed and manual dexterity, but deficits appeared in the OCD group on decision-making, set shifting, copy time of a complex figure, and verbal memory. State anxiety showed a large effect that was correlated to performance deficits. Conclusions: Young adults with OCD have similar cognitive profiles as their healthy counterparts but they may be more anxious in testing situations. Replication of these findings with a larger sample is necessary to better understand the cognitive profile in young adults with OCD.