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Published on: January 20, 2012
Adults with early-onset obsessive-compulsive disorder
M C Rosario-Campos1, J F Leckman, M T Mercadante
1Department of Psychiatry, University of São Paulo Medical School, Brazil. maria.rosario-campos@yale.edu
The American Journal of Psychiatry
|November 3, 2001
Summary
Early onset of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is linked to distinct symptoms and poorer treatment response. This suggests age at onset is crucial for precise OCD phenotyping and understanding symptom presentation.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Psychiatry
- Clinical Psychology
Background:
- Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) exhibits clinical heterogeneity.
- A bimodal age of onset suggests distinct underlying mechanisms.
- Treatment outcomes for OCD vary significantly across individuals.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the significance of age at symptom onset for precise OCD phenotyping.
- To compare the clinical characteristics of adult OCD patients with early versus late symptom onset.
Main Methods:
- Semistructured interviews were conducted with 42 adult OCD outpatients.
- Patients were divided into an early-onset group (n=21, onset before age 10) and a late-onset group (n=21, onset after age 17).
Main Results:
- Early-onset OCD was associated with higher Yale-Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale scores.
- Higher frequencies of tic-like compulsions and sensory phenomena were observed in the early-onset group.
- Early-onset OCD patients showed a higher rate of comorbid tic disorders and a poorer response to clomipramine and SSRIs.
Conclusions:
- Age at symptom onset is a significant factor for subtyping OCD.
- Phenotypic differences associated with early onset persist beyond childhood.
- These findings support distinct neurobiological pathways for early- versus late-onset OCD.
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