Cognitive deficits in obsessive-compulsive disorder on tests of frontal lobe functions.

Individuals with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) display frontal lobe deficits, but there are inconsistencies between various tests of frontal lobe functions and between the results from different studies. The objective of this work was to characterize frontal lobe dysfunctions in OCD patients. Fifteen patients and 17 control subjects matched for age, sex and intelligence were tested on classic tests of frontal lobe functions [Wisconsin Card Sorting Test (WCST) and tests of fluency], a smell identification test and one computerized test: the Intra/Extra Dimension test. The Intra/Extra Dimension test showed a significant difference between the two groups in reversal of response. The test of Figural fluency showed a significant difference between the two groups in numbers of produced figures. There were no differences on the WCST, verbal fluency and the smell identification test.