OBJECTIVES: This study was aimed to investigate the differences in intelligence and neuropsychological test findings between patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and normal controls, and to find out brain functions. METHODS: To examine the brain functions, Halsted Reitan neuropsychological test, computerized neuropsychological test, Wechsler Memory scale and K-WAIS were applied. Subjects of this study consisted of 12 patients with OCD and 17 normal controls who were matched for age, handedness and education year. RESULTS: The verbal intelligence of OCD was significantly higher than that of normal controls. But there was no significant difference in total and performance intelligence between groups. The total time of tactual performance test in OCD was significantly delayed than that in normal controls. Also the visual recall or Wechsler memory scale in OCD was more impaired than that in normal controls. CONCLUSION: These findings support that visual-spatial memory, which is related to basal ganglia, is impaired in OCD.
Basal Ganglia ; Brain ; Education ; Functional Laterality ; Humans ; Intelligence* ; Memory ; Neuropsychological Tests* ; Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder*