372
R. D. Oades et al.
Table 1.
Group Comparisons for Age, Gender, Stage of Illness, Perceptuomotor Ability and Medication (Mean and SD)
|
Age (years) |
Gender |
f |
SCH У |
SPM IQ |
GFT neurol. |
Medication CPZ | |
|
SCH |
18.4 |
14 |
12 |
2.0 |
89 |
49 |
935 |
|
n=26 |
3.6 |
1.6 |
15 |
9 |
1067 | ||
|
— PH |
19.3 |
8 |
6 |
2-4 |
91 |
49 |
899 |
|
и=14 |
3.6 |
1.8 |
16 |
10 |
731 | ||
|
-NP |
17.3 |
6 |
6 |
1.8 |
87 |
50 |
978 |
|
«=12 |
1.0 |
1.2 |
14 |
7 |
1397 | ||
|
OCD |
16.3 |
9 |
4 |
2.3 |
118 |
42 |
— |
|
«=13 |
2.9 |
1.8 |
21 |
10 | |||
|
CON |
18.0 |
15 |
14 |
— |
113 |
38 |
— |
|
n = 29 |
3.6 |
15 |
9 |
There were no significant age differences. CPZ=chlorpromazine equivalents (Rey et al., 1989); two patients
were medication free; there was no significant difference between subgroups. Episode = number of admissions
including the current stay (15 patients were in their first episode). OCD у = duration in years. GFT=Gottinger
Form Test (copy figures: scores <40 normal, >60 suspected brain damage). SPM = Raven’s standard progressive
matrices (performance IQ). SCH patients had lower SPM and higher GFT scores than OCD (/=4.8/-2.3,
p<.01/.03) and CON subjects (/ = 5.7∕-5.O,p<.0001).
bers of 14 and 12 reflect two patients with the median score.) PH patients also showed more
thought disorder and bizarre behaviour (see results below). Brief psychiatric ratings of
symptom severity were obtained (Overall & Gorham, 1962).
Thirteen поп-medicated OCD in-patients (300.3, DSM-IIl-R) had no comorbid diag-
noses except for one case of trichotillomania. From 56 healthy subjects (aged 8-26 years)
26 were paired with each psychotic patient matching for gender and for age, within 4
months. Three more subjects were added to match the three youngest OCD patients. These
controls reported no psychiatric complaints or major medical problems and were free of
medication when tested (CON in Table 1).
Testing followed: (a) approval of the protocol by the clinic management; (b) agreement
of the therapists and nursing staff to the tests in principle and the time-point in each case;
and (c) the co-operation, understanding and consent of the adult or child and the legally
responsible adult.
CB task
CB was measured in a learning task presented on a pc colour monitor with a joystick for
response. This "mouse-in-house'’ game took 5-20 min to perform (described in Oades et
al., 1996; software obtainable from the first author). A brief description follows.
A 13 x 24 cm rectangle was presented as a “house”, divided into two "rooms” by a wall
with a door in the centre. Each room was divided into four by walls, through which the
mouse could not go. One to three colour panels (18 × 7 mm) appeared above in the middle
at the start of each trial. Small panels displayed the minus and plus points scored during
the task (Figure 1).