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Obsessional slowness in Down's syndrome
L Charlot1, S Fox, R Friedlander
1The Neuropsychiatric Disabilities Unit, 8 South, University of Massachusetts Medical Center, Worcester, Massachusetts 01655, USA. Charlotl@UMMHC.org
Journal of Intellectual Disability Research : JIDR
|October 2, 2002
Summary
Obsessional slowness, a severe variant of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), may occur more frequently in individuals with Down's syndrome (DS). Further research is needed to understand this association.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Psychiatry
- Genetics
Background:
- Obsessional slowness, a condition characterized by prolonged completion of daily routines, was first described in patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD).
- Limited literature exists on obsessional slowness in individuals with developmental disabilities, with only a few cases reported, all associated with Down's syndrome (DS).
Observation:
- This case series retrospectively reviewed 11 individuals with DS exhibiting significant slowness in daily activities.
- Observed symptoms included prolonged routine completion, tics, hypothyroidism, freezing episodes, and ritualistic behaviors, though slowness often occurred without these or apparent anxiety.
Findings:
- The 11 individuals with DS spent hours on routine tasks, with slowness being the primary issue.
- Slowness was present even without overt ritualistic behaviors or significant anxiety in some cases.
Implications:
- Obsessional slowness might represent a severe manifestation of OCD, potentially with a higher prevalence in individuals with DS.
- This exploratory study highlights the need for systematic, prospective research into clinically significant slowness in the DS population due to the current lack of data.