Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) In Youth: A Narrative Review

Abstract

This narrative review on obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) in youth briefly summarizes research on physical and cognitive symptoms of OCD based on facial, olfactory, sleep, orthorexia, social cognition, attentional bias and brain studies. Secondly, it focuses on risk factors for OCD including genetic factors, comorbidities, family prevalence, vitamin deficiencies, infection and Covid-19 effects. Treatments are focused on attention bias modification, cognitive behavior therapy, exercise and medications.This literature, while very extensive, is limited to some seemingly uninteresting laboratory paradigms and youth and parent questionnaire data as well as a few effective therapy and medication protocols.