Objective:This study was to explore the behavioral and electroencephalographic characteristics of impaired cognitive flexibility in patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) with comorbid obsessive-compulsive personality disorder(OCPD).Methods:A cross-sectional study was designed to collect data prospectively from OCD patients who visited the psychology departments at two top-tier hospitals in Changsha between September 2019 and December 2021. The study included 31 patients with OCD+OCPD(18 males, 13 females; aged 15-46 (22.8±8.4) years) and 39 patients with OCD only(25 males, 14 females; aged 15-34 (21.6±4.2) years). Additionally, 32 age-matched healthy controls(HC: 18 males, 14 females; aged 18-25 (20.8±1.7) years). All participants completed the Task-Switching paradigm while behaioral and event-related potentials(ERPs) were recorded simultaneously. Repeated measures analysis of variance was used to compare the group differences in behavioral and ERP data(electrode sites: FZ, FCZ, CZ, PZ; ERP components: amplitude and latency of P2, N2, and P3).Results:The reaction times in both the comorbid and OCD groups were significantly longer than those in the healthy control group ((1 182±287) ms and (1 119±194) ms vs. (886±95) ms; F=18.48, both P<0.001). Accuracy rates in the comorbid and OCD groups were also significantly lower than in the healthy control group ((77±14)% and (77±13)% vs. (84±7)%; F=4.00, both P<0.05). In the task-switching condition, the N2 latency at the CZ electrode was significantly shorter in the comorbid and OCD groups compared to the healthy control group ((290±22) ms and (291±29) ms vs. (308±27) ms; F=3.81, both P<0.05). Furthermore, at the FZ and FCZ electrodes, the N2 latency in the comorbid group was significantly shorter in the switching task compared to the repetition task. Conclusion:OCD patients with comorbid OCPD show more severe cognitive flexibility impairments and display abnormal electrophysiological patterns.

Objective:This study was to explore the behavioral and electroencephalographic characteristics of impaired cognitive flexibility in patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) with comorbid obsessive-compulsive personality disorder(OCPD).Methods:A cross-sectional study was designed to collect data prospectively from OCD patients who visited the psychology departments at two top-tier hospitals in Changsha between September 2019 and December 2021. The study included 31 patients with OCD+OCPD(18 males, 13 females; aged 15-46 (22.8±8.4) years) and 39 patients with OCD only(25 males, 14 females; aged 15-34 (21.6±4.2) years). Additionally, 32 age-matched healthy controls(HC: 18 males, 14 females; aged 18-25 (20.8±1.7) years). All participants completed the Task-Switching paradigm while behaioral and event-related potentials(ERPs) were recorded simultaneously. Repeated measures analysis of variance was used to compare the group differences in behavioral and ERP data(electrode sites: FZ, FCZ, CZ, PZ; ERP components: amplitude and latency of P2, N2, and P3).Results:The reaction times in both the comorbid and OCD groups were significantly longer than those in the healthy control group ((1 182±287) ms and (1 119±194) ms vs. (886±95) ms; F=18.48, both P<0.001). Accuracy rates in the comorbid and OCD groups were also significantly lower than in the healthy control group ((77±14)% and (77±13)% vs. (84±7)%; F=4.00, both P<0.05). In the task-switching condition, the N2 latency at the CZ electrode was significantly shorter in the comorbid and OCD groups compared to the healthy control group ((290±22) ms and (291±29) ms vs. (308±27) ms; F=3.81, both P<0.05). Furthermore, at the FZ and FCZ electrodes, the N2 latency in the comorbid group was significantly shorter in the switching task compared to the repetition task. Conclusion:OCD patients with comorbid OCPD show more severe cognitive flexibility impairments and display abnormal electrophysiological patterns.