Perceptual Decision Impairments Linked to Obsessive-Compulsive Symptoms are Substantially Driven by State-Based...

Area of Science:

• Computational psychiatry
• Cognitive neuroscience
• Clinical psychology

Background:

• Obsessive-compulsive symptoms (OCS) are linked to impaired perceptual evidence accumulation in decision-making models.
• Previous research often assumes these deficits reflect global disease traits.
• The influence of current, state-based symptoms versus enduring, trait-based symptoms on these deficits remains unclear.

Purpose of the Study:

• To differentiate the impact of state-based versus trait-based OCS on perceptual evidence accumulation.
• To investigate if working memory capacity moderates state-based impairments in evidence accumulation.
• To clarify the relationship between information processing and symptom state in OCS.

Main Methods:

• Utilized computational models of decision making in a general population sample (N=150).
• Assessed perceptual evidence accumulation rates and both state-based and trait-based OCS.
• Included working memory capacity as a potential moderator variable.

Main Results:

• Replicated the negative association between evidence accumulation rate and trait-based OCS when state-based symptoms were not considered.
• When state-based OCS were included, they accounted for a significant portion of the perceptual impairment, attenuating trait-based effects.
• No evidence was found that working memory capacity moderated the observed state-based impairments.

Conclusions:

• State-based OCS play a more substantial role in perceptual evidence accumulation deficits than previously emphasized.
• Findings suggest that focusing on current symptom states is crucial for understanding information processing differences in OCS.
• The study highlights the importance of considering symptom state in computational psychiatry research beyond OCS.