[A contribution to the psychopathology of obsessive-compulsive disorder]

On the basis of recent developments in neuroscience, modern neuropsychology makes great contributions to the psychopathology of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). Those studies pay little attention to the will because of their cognitive orientation. However, the will forms an essential aspect of OCD according to Jaspers and Schneider. Based on a clinical case we discuss OCD from the point of view of will psychology. As our case concerns a schizophrenic psychosis, we focus here on OCD appearing in schizophrenia. For this approach we refer to classic neuropsychology which deals intensively with problems of the will. Accordingly, patients suffering from brain injuries are confined to habitual activities which follow unintentionally from the present situation. This sort of present-related spontaneousness is expressed in the concept "becoming." On the other hand, patients suffering from OCD are alienated from habitual activities. Lastly we discuss the relation between schizophrenia and OCD.