Association between cognitive impairments and obsessive-compulsive spectrum presentations following traumatic brain injury

ABSTRACT

This study examined the association between self-reported obsessive-compulsive spectrum symptomatology and cognitive performance in a sample of patients with traumatic brain injury (TBI). Twenty-four adults with a moderate-severe TBI accessing a community brain injury rehabilitation service were recruited. Age ranged between 19 and 69 years. Participants completed a battery of neuropsychological tasks assessing memory, executive functioning, and speed of information processing. Self-report questionnaires assessing obsessive-compulsive (OC) symptoms and obsessive-compulsive personality disorder (OCPD) traits were also completed. Correlational analyses revealed that deficits in cognitive flexibility were associated with greater self-reported OC symptomatology and severity. Greater OC symptom severity was significantly related to poorer performance on a visual memory task. Verbal memory and speed of information processing impairments were unrelated to OC symptoms. Performance on tasks of memory, executive functioning, and speed of information processing were not associated with OCPD traits. Overall, results indicate that greater OC symptomatology and severity were associated with specific neuropsychological functions (i.e., cognitive flexibility, visual memory). OCPD personality traits were unrelated to cognitive performance. Further research is needed to examine the potential causal relationship and longer-term interactions between cognitive sequelae and obsessive-compulsive spectrum presentations post-TBI.

KEYWORDS:

• Traumatic brain injury
• obsessive-compulsive symptoms
• obsessive-compulsive personality disorder
• personality change
• cognitive impairment

Acknowledgement

The authors would like to thank Jim Grange for statistical advice in the preparation of this manuscript.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Notes

1 Within the TBI literature, “behavioural changes” typically refer to alterations in an individual’s pre-morbid personality. This term has also been used to capture emotional disturbance (e.g., irritability, apathy, dysphoria) secondary to TBI. The terms “behavioural changes” and “personality changes” are used interchangeably in this paper.