Cognition in trichotillomania: a meta-analysis.

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Psychiatry
• Cognitive Psychology

Background:

• Trichotillomania (TTM) is a mental health disorder characterized by hair pulling.
• Previous research suggests cognitive deficits in TTM, but findings are inconsistent across domains.
• This study synthesizes existing literature to identify specific cognitive impairments in TTM.

Purpose of the Study:

• To systematically review and meta-analyze cognitive functioning in individuals with TTM compared to controls.
• To determine which specific cognitive domains are significantly impaired in TTM.

Main Methods:

• A comprehensive literature search was conducted following PROSPERO preregistration.
• 15 eligible studies were identified from 793 screened papers.
• Random-effects meta-analysis was performed on 12 cognitive domains.

Main Results:

• Significant deficits were found in motor inhibition (via stop-signal task) and extradimensional (ED) shifting (via ED set-shift task) in individuals with TTM.
• No significant differences were observed in other cognitive domains, including verbal learning, intradimensional (ID) shifting, and various executive functions.
• Study quality did not significantly moderate the findings.

Conclusions:

• Motor inhibition and ED set-shifting are impaired in TTM.
• Results should be interpreted cautiously due to small sample sizes and comorbidities.
• Interventions targeting inhibitory control and cognitive flexibility may benefit TTM treatment.