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Obsessive-Compulsive Symptoms in Schizophrenia: Are They Manifestations of a Distinct Subclass of Schizophrenia?

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  07 November 2014

Abstract

The association between obsessive-compulsive (OC) symptoms and schizophrenia has been discussed in the literature for many decades. Recent studies, which have been more systematic than earlier reports and benefited from more rigorous diagnostic criteria, have generated results that contradict earlier findings. The current consensus is that OC symptoms are seen in a significant number of patients with schizophrenia, and indicate a poor prognosis. These recent studies also suggest that OC symptoms are more than just expressions of persistent schizophrenic psychosis, and that they share characteristics with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). This article discusses the arguments supporting the possibility that OC symptoms are either manifestations of comorbid OCD, or are characteristics of a distinct subtype of schizophrenia.

Type
Feature Articles
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1997

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