Is OCD an Anxiety Disorder?

This analysis of family study data both indicates that the answer is affirmative and highlights common comorbidities.

Experts have suggested removing obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) from the category of anxiety disorders in the next DSM edition (DSM-V), instead grouping it with other supposedly OCD-related conditions. These researchers analyzed large datasets from two OCD comorbidity and family studies to examine the evidence for this proposal.

The researchers analyzed structured diagnostic interview data from the OCD Collaborative Genetics Study on 382 probands with OCD and 974 of their first-degree relatives and from the Johns Hopkins OCD Family Study on 73 non-OCD controls and 233 of their first-degree relatives. OCD probands with Tourette disorder were excluded.

Compared with non-OCD controls, probands with OCD had significantly higher rates of all a…

Reviewing Author

Deborah Cowley, MD

Disclosures

Grant / Research supportHealth Resources and Services Administration; Katz Family Foundation

Deborah Cowley, MD

Disclosures

Grant / Research supportHealth Resources and Services Administration; Katz Family Foundation

Is OCD an Anxiety Disorder?

Topics

Reviewing Author