Obsessive-compulsive disorder is associated with broad impairments in executive function: A meta-analysis

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Psychiatry
• Cognitive Psychology

Background:

• Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is a disabling mental health condition.
• Current models implicate prefrontal-striatal circuits and executive function (EF) in OCD.
• Previous research on EF deficits in OCD has yielded inconsistent findings.

Purpose of the Study:

• To conduct a meta-analysis synthesizing existing research on executive function (EF) in individuals with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD).
• To clarify the nature and extent of executive function impairments in OCD.
• To investigate potential moderators of EF deficits in OCD.

Main Methods:

• A random-effects meta-analysis was performed.
• Included 110 studies comparing individuals with OCD to healthy controls on neuropsychological EF measures.
• Analyzed effect sizes across various EF domains.

Main Results:

• Individuals with OCD exhibited significant impairments across most aspects of executive function (EF).
• These EF deficits were not attributable to general motor slowness or depression.
• Effect sizes remained stable across demographic and clinical variations, with some moderation by medication, age, and gender.

Conclusions:

• The findings support a model of broad executive function (EF) impairment in obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD).
• Executive function deficits represent a core feature of OCD, independent of other factors like depression.
• Understanding these EF deficits is crucial for developing targeted interventions for OCD.