Obsessive-Compulsive and Related Disorders: Biological Factors

According to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5), obsessive-compulsive and related disorders refer to a group of mental health disorders sharing psychopathological characteristics, comorbidity, and putative etiology. The DSM-5 chapter includes obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), hoarding disorder, body dysmorphic disorder, hair-pulling disorder, and skin-picking disorder. Individuals with tic disorders also show recurrent behaviors (motor or vocal) but are classified in a subchapter of Neurodevelopmental Disorders. OCD can be specified according to the DSM-5 as tic-related OCD if there is a present or lifetime comorbidity with a tic disorder. There is broad consensus that both biological and psychological factors contribute to the development and maintenance of OCD. The focus of this entry is on biological factors.

Genetic Factors

Independent family studies found a four- ...

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