Clinical features of obsessive-compulsive disorder among individuals who experience health-related obsessive-compulsive symptoms.

BACKGROUND: While some obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) phenotypes are well-established and better understood, it is unclear whether the presence of health-related obsessive-compulsive symptoms (OCS) is associated with specific clinical characteristics. We aimed to investigate whether OCS involving concerns with illness, diseases, body parts or aspects of appearance (i.e. health-related OCS) are associated with differences in demographics, experience of stressful life events, clinical severity, clinical course, endorsement of established OCD dimensions, and psychiatric comorbidities. METHODS: Individuals (N = 1001) with a clinical diagnosis of OCD (M = 34.85, SD = 12.99) completed a questionnaire battery assessing clinical course (age at symptom onset, age at diagnosis, duration of illness), total and dimensional symptom severity, and psychiatric comorbidities. We ran initial univariate, and follow-up multivariate analyses where appropriate, to compare individuals reporting health-related OCS with those not reporting health-related OCS in terms of demographics, symptom severity and clinical course, OCD symptom dimensions, and psychiatric comorbidities. RESULTS: The presence of health-related OCS was associated with higher severity of contamination, hoarding and harm symptoms. Additionally, those with health-related OCS displayed significantly lower symptom insight, increased incidence of hypochondriasis, panic disorder and anxiety, and lower depression symptoms. Overall OCD symptom severity and clinical course did not differ between participants with and without health-related OCS. IMPLICATIONS: These novel findings provide clinicians with an enhanced understanding of health-related OCS in order to guide assessment and allow for more targeted treatment planning. Future investigations may examine the effectiveness of specialised treatment methods which target underlying clinical features of health-related OCS.

Cognitive inflexibility moderates the relationship between relief-driven drinking motives and alcohol use.

Introduction: Drinking motives and neurocognition play significant roles in predicting alcohol use. There is limited research examining how relief-driven drinking motives interact with neurocognition in alcohol use, which would help to elucidate the neurocognitive-motivational profiles most susceptible to harmful drinking. This study investigated the interactions between neurocognition (response inhibition and cognitive flexibility) and relief-driven drinking, in predicting problem drinking. Methods: Participants completed the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test - Consumption items (AUDIT-C) to measure drinking behaviour, and online cognitive tasks, including the Value-Modulated Attentional Capture and Reversal Task (VMAC-R) and the Stop Signal Task (SST). The sample (N = 368) were individuals who drink alcohol, which included a subsample (N = 52) with problematic drinking, as defined by self-identifying as having a primary drinking problem. Drinking motives were assessed using a binary coping question in the overall sample, and the Habit, Reward, and Fear Scale (HRFS) in the subsample. Moderation analyses were conducted to investigate whether cognitive flexibility and response inhibition moderated relationships between relief-driven motives and drinking. Results: Cognitive flexibility moderated the relationship between relief-driven motives and drinking (overall sample: ß = 13.69, p = 0.017; subsample: ß = 1.45, p = 0.013). Greater relief-driven motives were associated with heavier drinking for individuals with low cognitive flexibility. There was no significant interaction between response inhibition and relief-driven motives. Conclusions: Relief-driven drinking motives interact with cognitive inflexibility to drive heavier drinking. Greater understanding of these neurocognitive-motivational mechanisms may help to develop more targeted and effective interventions for reducing harmful drinking.

Internet-based acceptance and commitment therapy for obsessive-compulsive symptoms: A randomized controlled trial.

Subthreshold obsessive-compulsive symptoms (OCS) are associated with increased distress, help seeking behaviours, and functional problems, and may predict progression into further mental health problems. This study investigated the effectiveness of a four-module internet-based acceptance and commitment therapy (iACT) for adults with OCS compared to internet-based progressive relaxation training (iPRT). Eighty-nine adults with OCS participated in a single-blinded randomised controlled trial of iACT or iPRT. Self-report assessments of OCS, psychological flexibility, and quality of life, among others, were measured at baseline, post-treatment, and at three-month follow-up. Both iACT and iPRT showed large pre-post improvements in OCS (b = 6.32, p < 0.001, d = 0.8) and medium improvements in psychological flexibility (b = -0.38, p = 0.011, d = 0.47) and quality of life (b = -5.26, p = 0.008, d = 0.58), with no significant differences in effects between groups. All improvements were maintained at follow-up. There were no differences in attrition or adherence between groups. iACT was rated more favourably by participants at post-treatment, and there were some differences in qualitative feedback across groups. These findings suggest both iPRT and iACT may be helpful in improving mental health in adults with OCS, but that iACT may be more acceptable.

Problematic pornography use and novel patterns of escalating use: A cross-sectional network analysis with two independent samples.

Modern internet pornography allows users to harness sexual novelty in numerous ways, which can be used to overcome desensitisation through increasing volume of use (quantitative tolerance), progressing to more stimulating genres (qualitative escalation), skipping between stimuli (tab-jumping), delaying orgasm ('edging'), and engaging in pornographic binges. However, existing research has not yet evaluated how these potentially reciprocal consumption patterns relate to problematic pornography use (PPU). To this end, we recruited two independent samples of male pornography users (N1 = 1,356, Mage = 36.86, SD = 11.26; N2 = 944, Mage = 38.69, SD = 12.26) and examined the relationships between these behavioural dimensions and self-reported difficulties in controlling one's pornography use. Data were analysed through the network analysis approach (using Gaussian graphical models). As hypothesised, i) quantitative tolerance was centrally placed within the overall network, and ii) acted as a statistical bridge node between other patterns of pornography use (e.g., pornographic binges), and all measured facets of PPU. Our results are consistent with other emerging literature suggesting that tolerance, pornographic binges, tab-jumping, and edging behaviours as relevant features ofPPU, and that upscaling overall usage may connect broader patterns of use with problematic engagement. Clinical and theoretical implications, as well as future research directions, are discussed.

Examining the unique relationships between problematic use of the internet and impulsive and compulsive tendencies: network approach.

BACKGROUND: Both impulsivity and compulsivity have been identified as risk factors for problematic use of the internet (PUI). Yet little is known about the relationship between impulsivity, compulsivity and individual PUI symptoms, limiting a more precise understanding of mechanisms underlying PUI. AIMS: The current study is the first to use network analysis to (a) examine the unique association among impulsivity, compulsivity and PUI symptoms, and (b) identify the most influential drivers in relation to the PUI symptom community. METHOD: We estimated a Gaussian graphical model consisting of five facets of impulsivity, compulsivity and individual PUI symptoms among 370 Australian adults (51.1% female, mean age = 29.8, s.d. = 11.1). Network structure and bridge expected influence were examined to elucidate differential associations among impulsivity, compulsivity and PUI symptoms, as well as identify influential nodes bridging impulsivity, compulsivity and PUI symptoms. RESULTS: Results revealed that four facets of impulsivity (i.e. negative urgency, positive urgency, lack of premeditation and lack of perseverance) and compulsivity were related to different PUI symptoms. Further, compulsivity and negative urgency were the most influential nodes in relation to the PUI symptom community due to their highest bridge expected influence. CONCLUSIONS: The current findings delineate distinct relationships across impulsivity, compulsivity and PUI, which offer insights into potential mechanistic pathways and targets for future interventions in this space. To realise this potential, future studies are needed to replicate the identified network structure in different populations and determine the directionality of the relationships among impulsivity, compulsivity and PUI symptoms.

Towards the correlates of stressful life events as precipitants of obsessive-compulsive disorder: a systematic review and metanalysis.

Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is a prevalent condition with multifactorial etiology involving genetic and environmental factors. The present study aims to summarize the correlates of stressful life events (SLEs) in OCD by reviewing studies comparing OCD associated or not with SLEs before its onset. To do so, a systematic review was performed by searching PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, and PsycINFO databases for studies published between the database's inception and November 27, 2023. Studies including individuals whose OCD was precipitated or not by SLEs (SLEs OCD and NSLEs OCD, respectively) were assessed. Effect sizes or odds ratios were then calculated to identify the strength of association between SLEs and clinical characteristics, such as gender, age of onset, family history of OCD, severity of OCD symptoms, depressive symptoms, and mood comorbidities among patients with OCD. Out of the 4083 records initially identified, 5 studies met the inclusion criteria and 3 were comparable through a meta-analysis. Notably, the analyses were limited by the small number of studies available in the literature. The meta-analysis demonstrated SLEs OCD to be associated with female gender, later OCD onset, and increased comorbidity rates with mood disorders. Despite the cross-sectional nature of the reviewed studies, women may be more vulnerable to develop a later onset of OCD following SLEs, which may also lead to mood disorders. Caution is needed to avoid prematurely classifying this presentation as a distinct subtype of OCD.

Co-occurring PTSD in intensive OCD treatment: Impact on treatment trajectory vs. response.

BACKGROUND: Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and co-occurring posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is associated with more severe and chronic OCD. However, findings regarding treatment effectiveness of cognitive behavioral treatment (CBT) with exposure and response prevention (ERP) with this comorbidity are mixed. Research aimed at understanding the precise barriers to OCD treatment effectiveness for individuals with co-occurring PTSD may help elucidate unique treatment needs. METHODS: The current study used linear regression and latent growth curve analysis comparing treatment response and trajectory from patients with OCD (n = 3083, 94.2 %) and OCD + PTSD (n = 191, 5.2 %) who received CBT with ERP in two major intensive OCD treatment programs. RESULTS: Although patients with OCD + PTSD evidenced similar trajectories of overall severity change, patients at one site required nearly 11 additional treatment days to achieve comparable reduction in OCD severity. Further, at the dimensional level, those with OCD + PTSD had poorer treatment response for unacceptable thoughts and symmetry symptoms. The moderate effect for unacceptable thoughts, indicating the widest gap in treatment response, suggests these symptoms may be particularly relevant to PTSD. LIMITATIONS: Findings are limited by a naturalistic treatment sample with variation in treatment provision. CONCLUSIONS: Findings emphasize caution in using a one-size-fits-all approach for patients with co-occurring OCD + PTSD within intensive OCD treatment programs, as broadly defined outcomes (e.g., reduction in overall severity) may not translate to reduction in the nuanced symptom dimensions likely to intersect with trauma. Unacceptable thoughts and symmetry symptoms, when co-occurring with PTSD, may require a trauma-focused treatment approach within intensive OCD treatment.

Clarifying and extending our understanding of problematic pornography use through descriptions of the lived experience.

Problematic pornography use (PPU) is a complex and growing area of research. However, knowledge of the PPU lived experience is limited. To address this gap, we conducted an online qualitative study with 67 individuals who self-identified as having problematic pornography use (76% male; Mage = 24.70 years, SD = 8.54). Results indicated several dimensions that have not been fully explored in the literature. These included various mental and physical complaints following periods of heavy pornography use, sexual functioning deficits with real partners, and a subjectively altered state of sexual arousal while using pornography. Moreover, we expanded on current knowledge regarding the inner conflict associated with PPU and clarified the ways that users can progress to increasingly intensified patterns of pornography use, such as tolerance/escalation and pornographic binges. Our study highlights the complex and nuanced nature of PPU and provides suggestions for future research and clinical practice.

Considerations for the treatment of obsessive-compulsive disorder in patients who have comorbid major depression.

INTRODUCTION: Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is a debilitating psychiatric disorder that affects a significant number of individuals worldwide. Major depressive disorder (MDD) is among the most common comorbidities reported in people with OCD. The emergence of MDD in individuals with OCD can be attributed to the increased severity of OCD symptoms and their profound impact on daily functioning. Depressive symptoms can also modify the course of OCD. AREAS COVERED: In this review, the authors explore potential shared neurobiological mechanisms that may underlie both OCD and MDD, such as disturbed sleep patterns, immunological dysregulations, and neuroendocrine changes. Furthermore, they address the challenges clinicians face when managing comorbid OCD and MDD. The authors also discuss a range of treatment options for OCD associated with MDD, including augmentation strategies for serotonin reuptake inhibitors (e.g. aripiprazole), psychotherapy (especially CBT/EPR), transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS), electroconvulsive therapy (ECT), and deep brain stimulation (DBS). EXPERT OPINION: Although there is no 'rule of thumb' or universally acceptable strategy in the treatment of OCD comorbid with MDD, many clinicians, including the authors, tend to adopt a unique transdiagnostic approach to the treatment of OCD and related disorders, focusing on strategies known to be effective across diagnoses. Nevertheless, the existing 'cisdiagnostic approaches' still retain importance, i.e. specific therapeutic strategies tailored for more severe forms of individual disorders.

Assessing Adherence to Vaccination, Social Distancing and Other Preventive Behaviors by Patients With Mental Disorders in the Context Of Covid-19 Pandemic: A Scoping Review Protocol.

The COVID-19 pandemic has emerged as a worldwide public health crisis, leading to significant disruptions in societal behaviors and norms. Within the affected population, individuals with mental health disorders are considered a vulnerable group, experiencing higher infection rates and poorer outcomes. These adverse outcomes can be attributed to various factors, including inadequate adherence to vaccination and other preventive measures. To address this issue, this study aims to present the research protocol for a scoping review that will comprehensively examine the literature on the adherence of individuals with mental disorders to preventive behaviors during the COVID-19 pandemic. The scoping review will adhere to the methodological guidelines outlined by the Joanna Briggs Institute and will be reported in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for Scoping Reviews checklist. A comprehensive search for published literature containing original data will be conducted in the Embase, MEDLINE, PsycINFO, and Web of Science databases. The search strategy will be developed based on the Population, Concept, and Context inclusion criteria. Two authors will independently screen titles, abstracts, and full texts for inclusion and extract relevant data. The findings of the review will be presented using descriptive statistics, including tables, charts, and flow diagrams, to elucidate the key concepts of interest.

Habit-, reward- and fear-related motivations in alcohol use disorder: A one-year prospective study.

OBJECTIVE: Cross-sectional studies show that habitual use of alcohol is associated with severity of alcohol dependence reflected across a range of domains and lower number of detoxifications in multiple settings. In this study, we investigated whether alcohol use disorder (AUD) patients with greater habitual use of alcohol at baseline showed worse outcomes after one year of follow-up. METHODS: A sample of inpatients with Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition (DSM-IV) alcohol use disorder (AUD) was assessed at baseline (n = 50) and after one year (n = 30). The Habit, Reward, and Fear Scale (HRFS) was employed to quantify affective (fear or reward) and non-affective (habitual) drives for alcohol use, the Alcohol Dependence Scale (ADS) was used to assess clinical outcomes, and the Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale (DASS-21) was used to quantify and control for associated affective symptoms. RESULTS: There was a significant reduction in the three HRFS scores at the follow-up. Regression analyses demonstrated that greater habit- and fear-related drives at baseline predicted greater decreases in the ADS scores at the endpoint. However, after controlling for age, sex and affective symptoms, only reward and fear were associated with reductions in ADS scores at the end of one year. Prescriptions of naltrexone and antidepressants/benzodiazepines did not predict decreases in reward and fear-related motivations. CONCLUSION: Although we were unable to confirm that habitual subscores at baseline predict worse long-term outcomes among inpatients with AUD, we found that a greater fear and reward motives for the use of alcohol predicted a greater magnitude of improvement in the AUD symptoms after one year. We hope that these findings will help develop new approaches toward AUD treatment and inform models of addiction research.

A "transatlantic" follow-up study of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder.

BACKGROUND: Obsessive-compulsive symptom fluctuations may be contingent on the number of stressful pandemic-related events and the resilience characterizing different cultures. We investigated the influence of the pandemic on symptom changes in a sample of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) patients from Brazil and Italy, two countries that were highly affected by the outbreak. METHODS: Ninety-one OCD outpatients were evaluated at baseline and about one year later. Thirty of them were assessed in Brazil and 61 in Italy. Socio-demographic variables, symptoms' severity and the number of stressful pandemic-related events were collected. Comparisons between countries' samples were performed, and a linear regression examined whether the country of origin, demographic features and the number of stressful events were able to predict the symptoms' severity at the follow-up. RESULTS: Brazilian patients experienced more stressful pandemic-related events than Italian patients (p = 0.018). However, along with higher age (p < 0.01) and increased severity of symptoms at baseline (p < 0.01), lower number of events predicted increased symptoms' severity after one year (p < 0.01). Country of origin was not a significant predictor of severity. LIMITATIONS: Small number of subjects; lack of information regarding duration of illness; and potential sample differences between countries. CONCLUSIONS: During the pandemic, the occurrence of more stressful pandemic-related events was associated with decreased severity of patients' OCD symptoms. Nevertheless, older patients and those with more severe symptoms seemed prone to exhibit increased OCD severity at follow-up.

Concealing, Tolerating, and Adjusting to Emotions in Obsessive-Compulsive and Anxiety Disorders: A Cross-Sectional Study.

BACKGROUND: Although research has shown that mood and anxiety disorders manifest disturbed emotion regulation, it is unclear whether anxiety disorders differ between each other in terms of their emotion regulation strategies. In the present study, we investigated whether patients with anxiety disorders present different affective styles. METHODS: We assessed affective styles of 32 obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) patients, 29 social anxiety disorder (SAD) patients, 29 panic disorder (PD) patients, and 20 healthy controls through the Affective Style Questionnaire (ASQ). A multivariate analysis of covariance (MANCOVA) was performed to compare the affective styles across groups (OCD, SAD, PD and control), while controlling for depression, anxiety symptoms and age. RESULTS: The MANCOVA revealed a significant, small-medium, main effect of diagnostic group on affective styles. The planned contrasts revealed that OCD and SAD patients reported significantly lower scores for "tolerance" (ASQ-T) compared to healthy controls group. There were no differences between PD group and healthy controls. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings provide evidence that OCD and SAD have difficulty tolerating strong emotions existing in the present moment in an open and non-defensive way.

A Novel, Expert-Endorsed, Neurocognitive Digital Assessment Tool for Addictive Disorders: Development and Validation Study.

BACKGROUND: Many people with harmful addictive behaviors may not meet formal diagnostic thresholds for a disorder. A dimensional approach, by contrast, including clinical and community samples, is potentially key to early detection, prevention, and intervention. Importantly, while neurocognitive dysfunction underpins addictive behaviors, established assessment tools for neurocognitive assessment are lengthy and unengaging, difficult to administer at scale, and not suited to clinical or community needs. The BrainPark Assessment of Cognition (BrainPAC) Project sought to develop and validate an engaging and user-friendly digital assessment tool purpose-built to comprehensively assess the main consensus-driven constructs underpinning addictive behaviors. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to psychometrically validate a gamified battery of consensus-based neurocognitive tasks against standard laboratory paradigms, ascertain test-retest reliability, and determine their sensitivity to addictive behaviors (eg, alcohol use) and other risk factors (eg, trait impulsivity). METHODS: Gold standard laboratory paradigms were selected to measure key neurocognitive constructs (Balloon Analogue Risk Task [BART], Stop Signal Task [SST], Delay Discounting Task [DDT], Value-Modulated Attentional Capture [VMAC] Task, and Sequential Decision-Making Task [SDT]), as endorsed by an international panel of addiction experts; namely, response selection and inhibition, reward valuation, action selection, reward learning, expectancy and reward prediction error, habit, and compulsivity. Working with game developers, BrainPAC tasks were developed and validated in 3 successive cohorts (total N=600) and a separate test-retest cohort (N=50) via Mechanical Turk using a cross-sectional design. RESULTS: BrainPAC tasks were significantly correlated with the original laboratory paradigms on most metrics (r=0.18-0.63, P<.05). With the exception of the DDT k function and VMAC total points, all other task metrics across the 5 tasks did not differ between the gamified and nongamified versions (P>.05). Out of 5 tasks, 4 demonstrated adequate to excellent test-retest reliability (intraclass correlation coefficient 0.72-0.91, P<.001; except SDT). Gamified metrics were significantly associated with addictive behaviors on behavioral inventories, though largely independent of trait-based scales known to predict addiction risk. CONCLUSIONS: A purpose-built battery of digitally gamified tasks is sufficiently valid for the scalable assessment of key neurocognitive processes underpinning addictive behaviors. This validation provides evidence that a novel approach, purported to enhance task engagement, in the assessment of addiction-related neurocognition is feasible and empirically defensible. These findings have significant implications for risk detection and the successful deployment of next-generation assessment tools for substance use or misuse and other mental disorders characterized by neurocognitive anomalies related to motivation and self-regulation. Future development and validation of the BrainPAC tool should consider further enhancing convergence with established measures as well as collecting population-representative data to use clinically as normative comparisons.

Prevalence and psychopathology features of mental rituals in patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder: A descriptive exploratory study of 1001 patients.

INTRODUCTION: Mental rituals (MR) are compulsions with no overt behavioural or motoric signs. It is presently unclear whether MR found in obsessive-compulsive disorder are associated with a distinctive clinical profile. OBJECTIVES: The main objectives of this paper were to assess the prevalence and psychopathological correlates of mental rituals in a large sample of OCD patients. METHODS: This exploratory case-control study compared 519 patients with versus 447 without MR in terms of sociodemographics, presence and severity of obsessive-compulsive symptoms, psychiatric comorbidities, sensory phenomena, suicidality, and insight. RESULTS: Current MR were found in 51.8%, while lifetime MR were found in 55.4% of the sample. The multiple logistic regression model determined that the most relevant clinical factors independently associated with current MR in OCD patients were the absence of any sensory phenomena and the presence of lifetime suicide ideation. CONCLUSION: Due to its relation to OCD clinical aspects, MR are a frequent feature among OCD patients. It also seems to be associated with a range of features that are probably relevant for treatment, especially sensory phenomena and suicidality.

Animal hoarding: a systematic review

Objectives: Animal hoarding is a special manifestation of hoarding disorder, characterized by the accumulation of animals and failure to provide them with minimal care. The main objective of this systematic review is to evaluate the characteristics of animal hoarding, focusing on the profile of affected individuals and the features of accumulation behavior. Methods: A systematic search of the literature was conducted in the electronic databases MEDLINE, Scopus, and LILACS until October 2022. We included case series (n ≥ 10) and cross-sectional studies assessing animal hoarding. Results: A total of 374 studies were initially retrieved. Most studies were classified as having poor quality and significant risk of bias. A total of 538 individuals with animal hoarding were evaluated. These individuals were predominantly middle-aged, unmarried women who lived alone in urban areas. Most of their residences had unsanitary conditions. Recidivism rates varied from 13-41%. Cats and dogs were the main hoarded species, mostly acquired through unplanned breeding, and disease, injury, behavioral problems, and a lack of hygiene were characreristic of their condition. Animal carcasses were found in up to 60% of the properties. Conclusion: Animal hoarding is a complex condition that requires urgent attention. More research is necessary to develop effective strategies that can save community resources, improve animal and human welfare, and prevent recidivism.

Common rituals in obsessive-compulsive disorder and implications for treatment: A mixed-methods study.

Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is characterized by engagement in rituals that serve to obtain certainty and prevent feared outcomes. Exposure and response prevention is most effective when rituals are resisted, yet existing self-report measures of OCD limit identification of the full range of possible rituals, and little is known about how rituals might cluster together and predict worsened severity and poorer treatment outcomes. In a retrospective sample of 641 adult patients who received intensive OCD treatment, the present study used a mixed-methods approach to (a) identify and validate treatment provider-identified rituals using the Yale-Brown Obsessive-Compulsive Scale, (b) identify clustering patterns of rituals, and (c) examine the impact of these clusters on severity and treatment outcomes. Sixty-two discrete rituals clustered into eight higher order ritual clusters: avoidance, reassurance, checking, cleaning/handwashing, just right, rumination, self-assurance, and all other rituals. At admission, reassurance predicted greater intolerance of uncertainty (IU) and rumination predicted less OCD severity. Only one ritual cluster-just right-predicted treatment outcomes; patients with just right rituals had worse IU at discharge and significantly longer length of treatment (average 7.0 days longer). Clinical observation can identify more nuanced and individualized rituals than self-report assessment alone. Patients presenting with just right rituals may benefit less from treatment focused on harm avoidance and habituation; instead, treatment should be tailored to the idiosyncrasies of incompleteness and not just the right experiences. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved).

Animal Hoarding: a systematic review.

OBJECTIVE: Animal hoarding is a special manifestation of Hoarding Disorder, characterized by the accumulation of animals and failure to provide them with minimal care. The main objective of this systematic review is to evaluate the characteristics of animal hoarding with a focus on the profile of affected individuals and accumulation behavior features. METHODS: A systematic search of the literature using the electronic databases MEDLINE, SCOPUS and LILACS was conducted until October 2022. We included case series (n ≥ 10) and cross-sectional studies assessing animal hoarding. RESULTS: 374 studies were initially retrieved. Most studies were classified as poor quality and significant risk of bias. 538 individuals with animal hoarding were evaluated. These individuals were predominantly middle-aged, unmarried females who lived alone in urban areas. Most residences presented unsanitary conditions. Recidivism rates varied from 13-41%. Cats and dogs were the main hoarded species, mostly acquired through unplanned breeding and found with lack of hygiene; diseases; injuries; and behavioral problems. Animal carcasses were found in up to 60% of the properties. CONCLUSION: Animal hoarding is a complex condition that requires urgent attention. More research is necessary to develop effective strategies that can save community resources, improve animal and human welfare, and prevent recidivism.

Brazilian Research Consortium on Obsessive-Compulsive Spectrum Disorders guidelines for the treatment of adult obsessive-compulsive disorder. Part I: pharmacological treatment

Objectives: To summarize evidence-based pharmacological treatments and provide guidance on clinical interventions for adult patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). Methods: The American Psychiatric Association (APA) guidelines for the treatment of OCD (2013) were updated with a systematic review assessing the efficacy of pharmacological treatments for adult OCD, comprising monotherapy with selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), clomipramine, serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs), and augmentation strategies with clomipramine, antipsychotics, and glutamate-modulating agents. We searched for the literature published from 2013-2020 in five databases, considering the design of the study, primary outcome measures, types of publication, and language. Selected articles had their quality assessed with validated tools. Treatment recommendations were classified according to levels of evidence developed by the American College of Cardiology and the American Heart Association (ACC/AHA). Results: We examined 57 new studies to update the 2013 APA guidelines. High-quality evidence supports SSRIs for first-line pharmacological treatment of OCD. Moreover, augmentation of SSRIs with antipsychotics (risperidone, aripiprazole) is the most evidence-based pharmacological intervention for SSRI-resistant OCD. Conclusion: SSRIs, in the highest recommended or tolerable doses for 8-12 weeks, remain the first-line treatment for adult OCD. Optimal augmentation strategies for SSRI-resistant OCD include low doses of risperidone or aripiprazole. Pharmacological treatments considered ineffective or potentially harmful, such as monotherapy with antipsychotics or augmentation with ketamine, lamotrigine, or N-acetylcysteine, have also been detailed.

Individuals with problem gambling and obsessive-compulsive disorder learn through distinct reinforcement mechanisms.

Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and pathological gambling (PG) are accompanied by deficits in behavioural flexibility. In reinforcement learning, this inflexibility can reflect asymmetric learning from outcomes above and below expectations. In alternative frameworks, it reflects perseveration independent of learning. Here, we examine evidence for asymmetric reward-learning in OCD and PG by leveraging model-based functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). Compared with healthy controls (HC), OCD patients exhibited a lower learning rate for worse-than-expected outcomes, which was associated with the attenuated encoding of negative reward prediction errors in the dorsomedial prefrontal cortex and the dorsal striatum. PG patients showed higher and lower learning rates for better- and worse-than-expected outcomes, respectively, accompanied by higher encoding of positive reward prediction errors in the anterior insula than HC. Perseveration did not differ considerably between the patient groups and HC. These findings elucidate the neural computations of reward-learning that are altered in OCD and PG, providing a potential account of behavioural inflexibility in those mental disorders.