Obsessive‐Compulsive Spectrum Disorders: A Review

Abstract

Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is characterized by obsessions (recurrent, intrusive and disturbing ideas, thoughts, impulses or images) as well as compulsions (repetitive behaviours performed according to certain rules or in a stereotyped fashion, designed to reduce discomfort). As our current understanding of OCD has grown, we have identified other disorders that may share features of OCD. Among these shared features are symptom profile, neurobiology, aetiology and treatment response. Recognizing these features that span across several disorders has led to the idea of an obsessive-compulsive spectrum of disorders (OCSD). Many of these disorders are quite devastating to afflicted individuals, their families and society as a whole. We discuss clinical approaches used to view the OCSDs and symptom overlap between the disorders. In particular, we focus on the impulse control disorders, somatoform disorders, and neurological disorders with repetitive behaviours. We also present studies on the effectiveness of serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SRIs) in treating these disorders.