Regional cerebral blood flow and cognitive function in patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder

OBJECTIVE: To explore the relationship between regional cerebral blood flow (CBF) and cognitive function in obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). METHOD: Single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) was performed for 139 OCD patients and 139 controls, and the radioactivity rate (RAR) was calculated. Cognitive function was assessed by the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test (WCST). RESULTS: The RARs of the prefrontal, anterior temporal, and right occipital lobes were higher in patients than controls. For the WCST, correct and classification numbers were significantly lower, and errors and persistent errors were significantly higher in OCD patients. Right prefrontal lobe RAR was negatively correlated with correct numbers, right anterior temporal lobe RAR was positively correlated with errors, and the RARs of the right prefrontal lobe and left thalamus were positively correlated with persistent errors. CONCLUSION: OCD patients showed higher CBF in the prefrontal and anterior temporal lobes, suggesting that these areas may be related with cognitive impairment.