Schizophrenia with obsessive compulsive features

Abstract

While the obsessive compulsive (OC) phenomena in schizophrenia have been described over the years, the condition has received increasing attention in recent years. The clinical and biological significance of OC symptoms in schizophrenia, however, still remain controversial. Although OC symptoms in schizophrenia were once thought to occur rarely and were associated with more benign clinical courses, recent studies have shown greater prevalence rate and poor outcome. In addition, the OC subgroup of schizophrenia responds poorly to the traditional antipsychotic treatments, but may respond positively to adjunctive anti-OCD regimen according to the emerging clinical evidence.(1) While further systematic studies are needed to explore the clinical neurobiological implications of OC phenomena in patients with schizophrenia, current evidence suggests that these patients require specific symptom assessment and individualized pharmacological and psychotherapeutic treatment interventions for optimal outcome.