scholarly journals Perseverative behavior under uncertainty is enhanced by tryptophan depletion but diminished with subclinical obsessive–compulsive symptoms

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jonathan W Kanen ◽  
Qiang Luo ◽  
Robyn Yellowlees ◽  
Frederique E Arntz ◽  
David M Christmas ◽  
...  

Serotonin is critically involved in flexible decision-making, yet the preponderance of evidence comes from non-human studies. Many insights about the serotonin's function have come from the technique of dietary acute tryptophan depletion (ATD). However, it is unclear whether ATD modulates choice behavior during probabilistic reversal learning (PRL), a widely used model of behavioral flexibility with significant translational and clinical value. To determine whether ATD affects latent choice tendencies, we applied computational models of reinforcement learning to PRL data from healthy human volunteers (n = 62; 29 females) who had received either ATD or placebo in a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled procedure. A secondary objective was to ascertain how model parameters related to clinically relevant self-report questionnaires. ATD did not affect the updating ("learning rates") or deployment ("reinforcement sensitivity") of value representations driving choice. However, ATD increased "stimulus stickiness", the tendency to choose a previously chosen visual stimulus again, regardless of reinforcement--a pattern seen in stimulant use disorder (SUD). Greater subclinical obsessive-compulsive symptoms were associated with lower stimulus stickiness, a pattern seen in clinically diagnosed obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). Low reinforcement sensitivity was instead related to intolerance of uncertainty and symptoms of depression and anxiety. Individuals with higher trait impulsivity showed lower reward and higher punishment learning rates, which parallels findings in SUD. Collectively, these results point to a role for serotonin in compulsive tendencies. They underscore the utility of computational modelling in illuminating the microstructure of behavior, which could point towards new markers of vulnerability to psychopathology.

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tania Moretta ◽  
Giulia Buodo

We investigated the relationships and diagnostic power of symptoms associated with affective disorders, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and drug addictions on Internet use disorder. Moreover, we tested whether Internet use disorder is characterized by a specific network of symptoms. One-hundred-and-four young adults (78 women) were assessed in laboratory using self-report measures of Internet addiction, alcohol use disorder, cannabis abuse, depression, anxiety, and stress symptoms, impulsiveness, and obsessive-compulsive symptoms. Only hoarding, obsessing, and depression symptoms were positively linked to Internet use disorder severity, with hoarding having greater power and accuracy than other obsessive-compulsive and affective symptoms. Only individuals with mild-moderate Internet use disorder were characterized by a network of strong and positive associations of affective and obsessive-compulsive symptoms. These findings may encourage future longitudinal studies aimed at identifying potential clinical criteria for the diagnosis of Internet use disorder and treatment targets.


2020 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
pp. 25
Author(s):  
John Paulson

Previous research has documented similarities between symptoms of Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD), Anorexia Nervosa, and Bulimia Nervosa and elevated comorbidity between these conditions in clinical samples, with the relationship between OCD and Anorexia being stronger than between OCD and Bulimia. Researchers adopting a continuum view of psychopathology have also found that individuals with sub-clinical expressions of obsessive-compulsive symptoms resemble their clinical counterparts in several ways. The goal of the current study was to explore whether or not the observed relationship between obsessive-compulsive symptoms and eating disorder symptoms observed in clinical populations would also be observed in a nonclinical population. 264 participants from a college sample completed self-report measures of these symptoms. A positive correlation was found between scores on obsessive-compulsive, anorexia and bulimia instruments, and reflective of their clinical counterparts the relationship between obsessive-compulsive and anorexia symptoms was more significant than the one between obsessive compulsive symptoms and bulimia symptoms. Implications and limitations for research and clinical practice are discussed.


2007 ◽  
Vol 31 (2) ◽  
pp. 49-52 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lynne M. Drummond ◽  
Anusha Pillay ◽  
Peter Kolb ◽  
Shashi Rani

Aims and MethodA naturalistic study was conducted to examine the outcome on self-report and observer-rated measures in patients with severe, chronic, resistant obsessive–compulsive disorder (OCD) admitted to a specialised in-patient unit.ResultsTwenty-six patients were admitted over the study period. The mean age of all patients was 37 years (s.d.=13.8, range 18–61 years) and they had a mean duration of OCD of 18.4 years (s.d.=10.9, range 4–40 years). Instruments measuring severity demonstrated a 37–67% reduction in obsessive–compulsive symptoms and a 64% reduction in depressive symptoms after an average of almost 15 weeks in hospital.Clinical ImplicationsThis study demonstrates that specialised in-patient care can benefit a small group of severely ill patients with OCD who fail to respond to treatment in primary and secondary care.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Kirsty Jane Fraser

<p>The aim of the current research was to investigate the presence and roles of inflated responsibility and thought-action fusion in psychopathology. The three underlying research themes were to examine the relationship between thought-action fusion and inflated responsibility, the roles that they play in psychopathology, and the possible etiology of these types of beliefs. It is proposed that these responsibility beliefs are not specific to obsessive compulsive disorder, as commonly assumed, and that they play important roles in the maintenance of a range of psychological symptoms. This thesis presents the results of four studies. The first study was designed to investigate the presence of Thought-Action Fusion (TAF) and Inflated Responsibility (IR) alongside symptoms of depression, anxiety, and obsessive-compulsive disorder, with thought suppression playing an intermediary role. Study 2 examined the interaction between responsibility beliefs and locus of control on obsessive-compulsive symptoms with non-clinical and clinical participants. The third study focussed on the etiology of responsibility beliefs, taking Salkovskis, Shafran, Rachman, and Freeston’s (1999) theory of Pathways to Inflated Responsibility and empirically testing this with both clinical and non-clinical samples. Study 4 focussed on the relationship between responsibility beliefs and religiosity, using participants of Protestant Christian beliefs and Atheists. These studies collectively show that Thought-Action Fusion and Inflated Responsibility are both important and contributing factors in psychopathology, especially playing a part in the maintenance of symptoms and feelings of distress. Results indicated that while TAF tends to be specific to obsessive compulsive symptoms, IR is more of a general cognitive bias. Results also indicate that critical experiences in one’s life can lead to biases in responsibility beliefs. Additionally, results show that these biases are not always indicative of psychopathology when they are acceptable within a particular set of morals, for example religion. These findings are of both theoretical and clinical significance because they add to the growing understanding of TAF and IR in psychopathology. The current research was conducted with observational, self-report measures; further research using longitudinal studies is needed for more clarity on causality.</p>


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Kirsty Jane Fraser

<p>The aim of the current research was to investigate the presence and roles of inflated responsibility and thought-action fusion in psychopathology. The three underlying research themes were to examine the relationship between thought-action fusion and inflated responsibility, the roles that they play in psychopathology, and the possible etiology of these types of beliefs. It is proposed that these responsibility beliefs are not specific to obsessive compulsive disorder, as commonly assumed, and that they play important roles in the maintenance of a range of psychological symptoms. This thesis presents the results of four studies. The first study was designed to investigate the presence of Thought-Action Fusion (TAF) and Inflated Responsibility (IR) alongside symptoms of depression, anxiety, and obsessive-compulsive disorder, with thought suppression playing an intermediary role. Study 2 examined the interaction between responsibility beliefs and locus of control on obsessive-compulsive symptoms with non-clinical and clinical participants. The third study focussed on the etiology of responsibility beliefs, taking Salkovskis, Shafran, Rachman, and Freeston’s (1999) theory of Pathways to Inflated Responsibility and empirically testing this with both clinical and non-clinical samples. Study 4 focussed on the relationship between responsibility beliefs and religiosity, using participants of Protestant Christian beliefs and Atheists. These studies collectively show that Thought-Action Fusion and Inflated Responsibility are both important and contributing factors in psychopathology, especially playing a part in the maintenance of symptoms and feelings of distress. Results indicated that while TAF tends to be specific to obsessive compulsive symptoms, IR is more of a general cognitive bias. Results also indicate that critical experiences in one’s life can lead to biases in responsibility beliefs. Additionally, results show that these biases are not always indicative of psychopathology when they are acceptable within a particular set of morals, for example religion. These findings are of both theoretical and clinical significance because they add to the growing understanding of TAF and IR in psychopathology. The current research was conducted with observational, self-report measures; further research using longitudinal studies is needed for more clarity on causality.</p>


2017 ◽  
Vol 33 (2) ◽  
pp. 97-103 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tíscar Rodríguez-Jiménez ◽  
Antonio Godoy ◽  
José A. Piqueras ◽  
Aurora Gavino ◽  
Agustín E. Martínez-González ◽  
...  

Abstract. Evidence-based assessment is necessary as a first step for developing psychopathological studies and assessing the effectiveness of empirically validated treatments. There are several measures of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and/or symptomatology in children and adolescents, but all of them present some limitations. The Obsessive-Compulsive Inventory-Revised (OCI-R) by Foa and her colleagues has showed to be a good self-report measure to capture the dimensionality of OCD in adults and adolescents. The child version of the OCI (OCI-CV) was validated for clinical children and adolescents in 2010, showing excellent psychometric properties. The objective of this study was to examine the factor structure and invariance of the OCI-CV in the general population. Results showed a six-factor structure with one second-order factor, good consistency values, and invariance across region, age, and sex. The OCI-CV is an excellent inventory for assessing the dimensions of OCD symptomatology in general populations of children and adolescents. The invariance across sex and age warrants its utilization for research purposes.


Author(s):  
Nicole M. Dorfan ◽  
Sheila R. Woody

This chapter describes methods and tools for assessing obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD). The chapter outlines the purposes of assessment and discusses special challenges presented by OCD, such as shame associated with socially unacceptable obsessional content. Several types of assessment tools are discussed, including structured diagnostic interviews, semistructured clinician interviews to assess OCD symptom profile and severity, self-report instruments, behavioral assessment and self-monitoring, assessment of appraisals and beliefs relevant to OCD, and functional impairment. The importance of linking assessment findings to an evidence-based treatment plan is discussed.


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