Reasoning, problem-solving, and visual learning as candidate endophenotypes for first-episode, drug-naïve obsessive-compulsive disorder in the Han Chinese population

Abstract

Background: Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is a mental disease with obsessions and compulsions as its main symptom dimensions. In recent years, endophenotype (intermediate phenotype) method has been used to study OCD. This study aimed to evaluate the cognitive function for patients with OCD and search for possible endophenotype.

Methods: This study utilized a comparison control group design with 64 OCD patients, 49 healthy siblings (HS) of the patients, and 53 healthy controls. Several projects were selected to evaluate patients' cognition functions, such as reasoning, problem-solving, attention/vigilance, visual learning, speed of processing, and verbal learning.

Results: Results suggested that the patients with OCD and their HS have cognitive deficits in reasoning, problem-solving, trail making test, and visual learning. Significant differences were observed among the three groups of subjects in verbal learning. No significant difference was observed in attention/vigilance among the three groups.

Conclusions: Our results suggest that reasoning, problem-solving, and visual learning may be candidate endophenotypes for the early diagnosis of prodrome Han Chinese patients with OCD.

Keywords: Cognitive function; Endophenotypes; Obsessive-compulsive disorder.