Gender differences in obsessive-compulsive disorder: a literature review.

Introduction: Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is a heterogeneous condition, in which subtypes have been proposed. Previous studies suggested that gender plays a relevant role in OCD phenotypic expression. This study aimed to review the literature on gender differences in clinical, genetic or familial aspects of OCD.

The drug-naïve OCD patients imaging genetics, cognitive and treatment response study: methods and sample description.

Objective: To describe a protocol that was based on an integrative neurobiological model of scientific investigation to better understand the pathophysiology of obsessive-compulsive disorder and to present the clinical and demographic characteristics of the sample.

Method: A standardized research protocol that combines different methods of investigation (genetics, neuropsychology, morphometric magnetic resonance imaging and molecular neuroimaging of the dopamine transporter) obtained before and after treatment of drug-naïve adult obsessive-compulsive disorder patients submitted to a sequentially allocated 12-week clinical trial with a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (fluoxetine) and group cognitive-behavioral therapy.

Results: Fifty-two treatment-naïve obsessive-compulsive disorder patients entered the clinical trial (27 received fluoxetine and 25 received group cognitive-behavioral therapy).

TNF-alpha polymorphisms are associated with obsessive-compulsive disorder.

Introduction: Several lines of evidence support an immunologic involvement in obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD): the increased prevalence of OCD in patients with rheumatic fever (RF), and the aggregation of obsessive-compulsive spectrum disorders among relatives of RF probands. Tumor necrosis factor alpha is a proinflammatory cytokine involved in RF and other autoimmune diseases. Polymorphisms in the promoter region of the TNFA gene have been associated with RF.