Meta-analysis on memory impairment of patients with OCD (Obsessive Compulsive Disorder

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

I would take this opportunity to thank my research supervisor, family and friends for their support and guidance without which this research would not have been possible (Boulanger, 2007, 2367).

DECLARATION

I, [type your full first names and surname here], declare that the contents of this dissertation/thesis represent my own unaided work, and that the dissertation/thesis has not previously been submitted for academic examination towards any qualification. Furthermore, it represents my own opinions and not necessarily those of the University (Boulanger, 2007,, 2367).

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TABLE OF CONTENT

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTII

DECLARATIONIII

CHAPTER 3: DISCUSSION1

CHAPTER 4: CONCLUSION10

REFERENCES12

CHAPTER 3: DISCUSSION

The present study shows OCD more prevalent in females rather than males, with a young sample aged in their thirties. Healthy control subjects presented a higher IQ score, although, the difference seemed to be small, once OCD was only 4 points behind controls. In addition, both groups presented 13 years of formal education, supporting no difference in intelligence. The length of illness indicated that OCD was clinically diagnosed during adolescence with mild OCD observed 15 years further. Comparing demographic data of this study to other meta-analysis developed in the field, similar results could be observed. Whiteside, Port, & Albramowitz, 2004 and Henry, 2006 reported samples no older than 32 years old. Scores on the Yale-Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale also indicated a moderated stage of OCD with its duration ranged between 4.9 to 18 years. On the other hand both meta-analyses presented a higher incidence of OCD in male subjects rather than females.

The heterogeneity observed in symptomatic obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) most likely explains the different results of various studies in cognitively in these patients. Given the importance of age at onset of disturbances in complex and heterogeneous disease such as TOC, the goal of our study was to evaluate the cognitive performance of 30 patients with OCD with early onset or a later onset disorders, using tests in the domain of executive functions. Patients with OCD were divided according to age of onset of disorders, 15 patients with age of onset of the disorder (pre-pubertal 12 years, 15 patients with age of onset post-pubertal> 12 years). Their cognitive performance is compared with those of a group of 22 witnesses, with an average matching for age, sex and educational level. Five tests in the domain of executive functions have been proposed: the Tower of London, the Trail Making Test, a verbal fluency, a pictorial and a fluency of association. The 30 patients with OCD had scores significantly lower than controls on tests of the Tower of London and the influence of association (p <0.05 and p <0.001 respectively). In addition, 15 patients with pre-pubertal age of onset disorders have significantly worse scores on these tests than patients with an age of onset post-pubertal. Specific deficits related to spatial working memory and planning are observed in a group of patients with OCD, compared to a control group. These deficits are significantly higher in patients with a pre-pubertal age of onset of ...