Markers of vulnerability to obsessive-compulsive disorder in an ultra-high risk sample of patients who developed psychosis

Abstract

Aims: The study aims to identify markers of vulnerability to obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) in an ultra-high risk sample of patients who developed psychosis.

Methods: Three hundred and eleven patients at ultra-high risk for psychosis were examined at baseline and after a mean of 7.4 years follow-up. Patients who developed psychosis with OCD (PSY + OCD; n = 13) and psychosis without OCD (PSY - OCD; n = 45) were compared in terms of socio-demographic and clinical features.

Results: PSY + OCD patients displayed greater severity of depression before and after conversion to PSY + OCD, and increased rates of depressive disorders before exhibiting PSY + OCD. However, they only displayed greater severity of anxiety and increased rates of non-OCD anxiety disorders after psychosis. Further, PSY + OCD patients were more likely to report a positive family history for anxiety disorders than PSY - OCD.

Conclusion: Although depression and a family history of anxiety disorder may act as vulnerability markers for OCD in psychosis, the resulting anxiety may be a correlate or a consequence of PSY + OCD.