Hostname: page-component-848d4c4894-2pzkn Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-05-13T02:53:38.972Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Gender-related clinical differences in obsessive-compulsive disorder

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  30 September 2020

F. Bogetto ,
S. Venturello ,
U. Albert ,
G. Maina  and
L. Ravizza
F. Bogetto
Affiliation:
Department of Neurosciences, Psychiatric Unit, University of Turin, Via Cherasco 11, 10126Turin, Italy
S. Venturello
Affiliation:
Department of Neurosciences, Psychiatric Unit, University of Turin, Via Cherasco 11, 10126Turin, Italy
U. Albert
Affiliation:
Department of Neurosciences, Psychiatric Unit, University of Turin, Via Cherasco 11, 10126Turin, Italy
G. Maina
Affiliation:
Department of Neurosciences, Psychiatric Unit, University of Turin, Via Cherasco 11, 10126Turin, Italy
L. Ravizza
Affiliation:
Department of Neurosciences, Psychiatric Unit, University of Turin, Via Cherasco 11, 10126Turin, Italy
Get access

Summary

The purpose of the present study was to investigate the gender-related differences of clinical features in a sample of obsessive-compulsive (OCD) patients. One hundred and sixty outpatients with a principal diagnosis of obsessive-compulsive disorder (DSM-IV, Y-BOCS = 16) were admitted. Patients were evaluated with a semi-structured interview covering the following areas: socio-demographic data, Axis I diagnoses (DSM-IV), OCD clinical features (age at onset of OC symptoms and disorder, type of onset, life events and type of course). For statistical analysis the sample was subdivided in two groups according to gender. We found an earlier age at onset of OC symptoms and disorder in males; an insidious onset and a chronic course of illness were also observed in that group of patients. Females more frequently showed an acute onset of OCD and an episodic course of illness; they also reported more frequently a stressful event in the year preceding OCD onset. A history of anxiety disorders with onset preceding OCD and hypomanic episodes occurring after OCD onset was significantly more common among males, while females showed more frequently a history of eating disorders. We found three gender-related features of OCD: males show an earlier age at onset with a lower impact of precipitant events in triggering the disorder; OCD seems to occur in a relative high proportion of males who already have phobias and/or tic disorders; and a surfeit of chronic course of the illness in males in comparison with females.

Keywords

co-morbiditygenderlife eventsOCDonset
Type
Original article
Information
European Psychiatry , Volume 14 , Issue 8 , December 1999 , pp. 434 - 441
Copyright
Copyright © Éditions scientifiques et médicales Elsevier SAS 1999

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

American Psychiatric Association. Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV) 4th 1994 Washington DC: APAGoogle Scholar
Bogetto, FAlbert, UMaina, GVenturello, SRavizza, LLa comorbidità del Disturbo Ossessivo-Compulsivo con i disturbi di Asse I: differenza tra i sessi e correlazione con il decorso clinico. Giorn Ital Psicopat 3 1997 179–188Google Scholar
Castle, D.JDeale, AMarks, I.MGender differences in obsessive-compulsive disorder. Aust NZ J Psychiatry 29 1995 114–117CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Fahy, T.AOsacar, AMarks, IHistory of eating disorders in female patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder. Int J Eating Disord 14 1993 439–4433.0.CO;2-6>CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Fischer, D.JHimle, J.AHanna, G.LAge and gender effects on obsessive compulsive symptoms in children and adults. Depression Anxiety 4 1997 237–2393.0.CO;2-A>CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Leckman, J.FGoodman, W.KNorth, W.GChappell, P.BPrice, L.HPauls, D.LThe role of central oxytocin in obsessive-compulsive disorder and related normal behavior. Psychoneuroendocrinology 19 1994 723–749CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Lensi, PCassano, G.BCorreddu, GRavagli, SKunovac, J.LAkiskal, H.SObsessive-Compulsive Disorder: familial-developmental history, symptomatology, comorbidity and course with special reference to gender-related differences. Br J Psychiatry 169 1996 101–107CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Marks, I.MFears, Phobias and Rituals. 1987 New York: Oxford University PressGoogle Scholar
Nestadt, GBienvenu, O.JCai, GSamuels, JEaton, W.WIncidence of obsessive-compulsive disorder in adults. J Nerv Ment Dis 1998 401–406CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Noshirvani, H.FKasvikis, YMarks, I.MTsakiris, FMonteiro, W.OGender-divergent aetiological factors in obsessive-compulsive disorder. Br J Psychiatry 158 1991 260–263CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Othmer, EOthmer, S.CThe clinical interview using DSM-IV. 1994 Washington: American Psychiatric PressGoogle Scholar
Pauls, D.LAlsobrook, J.PGoodman, WRasmussen, SLeckman, J.FA family study of obsessive-compulsive disorder. Am J Psychiatry 152 1995 76–84Google ScholarPubMed
Paykel, EPrusoff, B.AUhlenhuth, E.HScaling of life events. Arch Gen Psychiatry 25 1971 340–347CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Perugi, GAkiskal, H.SPfanner, CPresta, SGemignani, AMilanfranchi, AThe clinical impact of bipolar and unipolar affective comorbidity on obsessive-compulsive disorder. J Affect Dis 46 1997 15–23CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Rachman, SHodgson, R.LObsessions and compulsions 1980 Englewood Cliffs: Prentice-HallGoogle Scholar
Rasmussen, S.AEisen, J.LThe epidemiology and differential diagnosis of obsessive-compulsive disorder. J Clin Psychiatry 55 1994 5–10Google ScholarPubMed
Ravizza, LMaina, GBogetto, FEpisodic and chronic obsessive-compulsive disorder. Depression Anxiety 6 1997 154–1583.0.CO;2-C>CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Ronchi, PAbruzzese, MErzegovesi, SDiaferia, GSciuto, GBellodi, LThe epidemiology of obsessive-compulsive disorder in an Italian population. Eur Psychiatry 7 1992 53–59CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Stern, R.SCobb, J.PPhenomenology of obsessive-compulsive neurosis. Br J Psychiatry 132 1978 233–239CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Weissman, M.MBland, R.CCanino, G.JGreenwald, SHwu, H.GLee, C.KThe cross national epidemiology of obsessive-compulsive disorder. J Clin Psychiatry Suppl 55 1994 5–10Google ScholarPubMed
Submit a response

Comments

No Comments have been published for this article.