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Related Concept Videos

Working Memory01:24

Working Memory

Working memory refers to a combination of components, including short-term memory and attention, that allow an individual to hold information temporarily as we perform cognitive tasks. It is an essential cognitive function that enables the execution of complex tasks such as problem-solving, comprehension, and reasoning. Unlike short-term memory, which simply involves the storage of information for a brief period, working memory involves the active manipulation and processing of this information.
Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder01:28

Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder

Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is a mental health condition characterized by recurrent obsessions, compulsions, or both, which consume significant time and interfere with daily functioning. Obsessions involve persistent, intrusive, and unwanted thoughts, images, or urges that evoke anxiety. Common examples include irrational fears of contamination or harm. Compulsions are repetitive behaviors or mental acts performed to reduce the anxiety caused by obsessions. For instance, individuals...

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Working memory dysfunction in obsessive-compulsive disorder: a neuropsychological and functional MRI study.

Tomohiro Nakao1, Akiko Nakagawa, Eriko Nakatani

  • 1Department of Neuropsychiatry, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kyushu University, Higashi-ku, Fukuoka, Japan. tomona@npsych.med.kyushu-u.ac.jp

Journal of Psychiatric Research
|December 17, 2008
PubMed
Summary

Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) patients exhibit working memory deficits and altered brain activity, particularly in the prefrontal cortex. These impairments are linked to symptom severity and specific subtypes like checking rituals.

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Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Cognitive Psychology
  • Psychiatry

Background:

  • Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is associated with potential working memory deficits and observed functional abnormalities in frontal and subcortical brain regions.
  • Previous research indicates a link between specific OCD subtypes, such as checking rituals, and impaired working memory.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate and demonstrate working memory deficits in OCD patients compared to healthy controls using neuropsychological assessments.
  • To examine brain activation patterns during working memory tasks using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI).
  • To explore the relationship between symptom severity, OCD subtypes, and working memory performance and brain activity.

Main Methods:

  • Forty OCD patients and 25 healthy controls underwent neuropsychological testing (WAIS-R, WCST, WMS-R, R-OCFT).
  • Functional MRI (fMRI) was employed during an N-back task (0-back and 2-back) to assess brain activity.
  • Symptom severity (Y-BOCS) and subtype (Leckman's model) analyses were conducted.

Main Results:

  • OCD patients scored significantly lower on delayed recall (WMS-R) and immediate recall (R-OCFT) compared to controls.
  • fMRI revealed greater activation in OCD patients in the right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC), left superior temporal gyrus (STG), left insula, and cuneus during the 2-back task.
  • Right orbitofrontal cortex activity correlated positively with OCD symptom severity (Y-BOCS).
  • Patients with obsessions/checking rituals showed more pronounced memory deficits and reduced postcentral gyrus activity compared to those with cleanliness/washing rituals.

Conclusions:

  • Neuropsychological testing and fMRI confirm working memory dysfunction and brain abnormalities in OCD.
  • Symptom severity and specific subtypes, like obsessions/checking, significantly influence neuropsychological deficits and associated brain activity in OCD.