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Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 30, 2026

Exploring the Neural Correlates of Cognitive Reappraisal in Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder Using Task-based Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging

Exploring the Neural Correlates of Cognitive Reappraisal in Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder Using Task-based Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging

Published on: March 14, 2025

Remembering and forgetting: directed forgetting effect in obsessive-compulsive disorder.

Mika Konishi¹, Kurie Shishikura, Shutaro Nakaaki

¹Department of Neuropsychiatry, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo;

Neuropsychiatric Disease and Treatment

|August 9, 2011

Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) patients show impaired episodic memory, specifically in selective encoding and retrieval inhibition. This memory deficit may explain some unique clinical symptoms observed in OCD.

Keywords:

episodic memory retrieval inhibition selective encoding

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Area of Science:

Neuroscience
Cognitive Psychology
Psychiatry

Background:

Episodic memory impairments are suspected in obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) due to repetitive checking behaviors.
It remains unclear if memory deficits in OCD are linked to the disorder's specific symptoms.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate episodic memory function in individuals with OCD.
To examine the directed forgetting effect as a measure of memory performance in OCD patients.

Main Methods:

Participants included patients with OCD and healthy controls.
A directed forgetting task was administered using lists of "remember" (R) and "forget" (F) cued words.
The task was conducted under both List and Item conditions.

Main Results:

OCD patients recalled a similar number of F-cued words compared to controls.
OCD patients recalled significantly fewer R-cued words than controls under both conditions.
The directed forgetting effect was diminished in OCD patients, indicating impaired memory processes.

Conclusions:

Both selective encoding and retrieval inhibition processes are impaired in individuals with OCD.
Unfavorable recalled items may interfere with the recall of necessary items in OCD patients.
These episodic memory impairments could contribute to the characteristic clinical symptoms of OCD.