Related Experiment Videos
Neurological soft signs in obsessive-compulsive disorder
1Department of Psychiatry, Ondokuz Mayis University, Medical School, Samsun, Turkey. haticeguz@turk.net
Neurology India
|April 8, 2004
Summary
Neurological soft signs (NSSs) were significantly elevated in patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), particularly in graphesthesia and two-point discrimination. These findings suggest NSSs may indicate underlying brain abnormalities in OCD.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Psychiatry
Background:
- Neurological soft signs (NSSs) encompass subtle motor and sensory abnormalities.
- These signs are typically observed in individuals without a focal neurological disorder.
Purpose of the Study:
- To explore the association between NSSs and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD).
Main Methods:
- A case-control study involving 30 patients with DSM-IV OCD and 30 healthy controls.
- Participants underwent physical and neurological examinations to assess NSSs using the PANESS scale.
- Statistical analysis was performed using the Mann-Whitney U test.
Main Results:
- Patients with OCD exhibited significantly higher scores in graphesthesia, two-point discrimination, and total PANESS compared to controls.
- No significant differences were found in other NSSs between the groups.
Conclusions:
- Graphesthesia showed a significant difference between OCD patients and controls, unlike other NSSs.
- The study suggests a potential relationship between NSSs and OCD.
- NSSs might signify structural brain abnormalities in individuals with OCD.