[Neurological soft signs in patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder]

Neurological soft signs (NSS) are minor neurological deviations signifying unspecific brain dysfunction. Several studies have reported an abnormally high prevalence of NSS in obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD); however, the significance of their presence in OCD patients is not yet clear. We reviewed studies that investigated NSS in OCD patients, using a clinical examination or kinematical methods. In most studies, OCD patients showed an excess of NSS, especially in the areas of motor coordination, sensory integration and primitive reflexes. NSS in OCD patients may be associated with more severe obsessions as well as disturbances of visuo-spatial function and visual memory. Moreover, they may be already present at childhood, combined with anxiety disorders, thus possibly representing a marker of high risk for OCD. In conclusion, more studies are needed in order to assess both sensory and motor soft signs associated with OCD in a methodologically rigorous manner, to integrate the results with neuroimaging findings and to elucidate the role of NSS as markers of neuropsychological dysfunction in OCD.