Neuropsychological impairment associated with compulsive hoarding

Jessica R. Grisham, Timothy A. Brown, Cary R. Savage, Gail Steketee, David H. Barlow

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

163 Scopus citations

Abstract

A group of patients with compulsive hoarding (n=30) was compared to a mixed clinical group (n=30) and a nonclinical community group (n=30) on laboratory tests of information-processing features hypothesized to be central to hoarding (memory, attention, and decision-making). Hoarding patients demonstrated slower and more variable reaction time, increased impulsivity, greater difficulty distinguishing targets and nontargets, and worse spatial attention relative to comparison groups. Multiple regression analyses demonstrated that slower reaction time and increased impulsivity were significantly related to hoarding symptoms over and above the effect of depression, schizotypy, and other obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) symptoms. There were no group differences on a test of emotion-based decision-making. Results are discussed in terms of previous findings and theoretical models of compulsive hoarding.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)1471-1483
Number of pages13
JournalBehaviour Research and Therapy
Volume45
Issue number7
DOIs
StatePublished - Jul 2007
Externally publishedYes

Keywords

  • Attention
  • Compulsive hoarding
  • Executive functioning
  • Obsessive-compulsive disorder
  • Saving

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Experimental and Cognitive Psychology
  • Clinical Psychology
  • Psychiatry and Mental health

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'Neuropsychological impairment associated with compulsive hoarding'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this