HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Figures Only Full Text Full Text (PDF) Correspondence: Submit a response Alert me when this article is cited Alert me when Correspondence are posted Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Swoboda, K. J. Articles by Jenike, M. A. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Swoboda, K. J. Articles by Jenike, M. A.

Frontal abnormalities in a patient with obsessive-compulsive disorder

The role of structural lesions in obsessive-compulsive behavior

From the Harvard Longwood Neurology Program and the Harvard Medical School Department of Neurology (Dr. Swoboda), Brigham and Women's Hospital, and the Department of Psychiatry (Dr. Jenike), Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA.
Received January 19, 1995. Accepted in final form March 28, 1995.
Address correspondence and reprint requests to Dr. Kathryn Swoboda, Department of Genetics and Metabolism, Children's Hospital, Fegan 10, 300 Longwood Avenue, Boston, MA 02115.

A man with onset of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) at age 62 had a large right posterior frontal infarct and occlusion of the ipsilateral internal carotid artery. We review additional cases from the literature with obsessive or compulsive behaviors and structural lesions. OCD may have a structural correlate, and this should be searched for in instances where onset occurs after age 60, is atypical, or is associated with other neurologic signs or symptoms. Rational therapy for OCD will depend on a detailed understanding of the neuronal circuitry and physiologic mechanisms underlying such behaviors, and additional data from thoroughly evaluated patients may be revealing.

NEUROLOGY 1995;45: 2130-2134

This article has been cited by other articles:

				A. P. Weiss and M. A. Jenike Late-Onset Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder: A Case Series J Neuropsychiatry Clin Neurosci, May 1, 2000; 12(2): 265 - 268. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				R. Purcell, P. Maruff, M. Kyrios, and C. Pantelis Neuropsychological Deficits in Obsessive-compulsive Disorder: A Comparison With Unipolar Depression, Panic Disorder, and Normal Controls Arch Gen Psychiatry, May 1, 1998; 55(5): 415 - 423. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]