Patients with OCD are impaired in motor and cognitive inhibitory mechanisms. The findings are consistent with psychobiological and neuropsychological models of OCD suggesting impairment of frontostriatal circuitries that mediate functions of inhibitory control.

Performance status assessment, Karnofsky performance status (KPS), and Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) scales were performed in 100 consecutive patients independently by two physicians and by the patients themselves to evaluate the scales' validity and reliability. Findings of Kendall's correlation were highly significant between physicians (0.76 for KPS, 0.75 for ECOG) and between physicians and patients (0.65 for KPS, 0.59 for ECOG). The authors point out that patients' self evaluation could provide a valuable and reliable assessment.

The clinical records of 72 children and adolescents aged 5-18 with a diagnosis of OCD were examined. Mean age of onset was 11 years. Repeating, cleaning and checking were the most common compulsions. Twenty percent of subjects showed obsessions unrelated to compulsions. In 53% of cases stress situations preceded the disorder. Seventy-seven percent of subjects suffered some other psychiatric disorder, lifetime or current, particularly anxiety and affective disorders. The majority (57%) had some first-degree relative with a psychiatric diagnosis. Family conflicts, social withdrawal and poor school performance were also common features.

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