A Case With Late-Onset Obsessions and Compulsions Following Chronic Cerebral Ischemia

Abstract

Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is an illness that usually manifests itself in the second or third decade of the life. Onset of OCD after age 70 has been rarely reported in the literature. Late-onset OCD is generally associated with an underlying cerebrovascular disease. The current consensus regarding choice of treatment(s) for idiopathic OCD includes cognitive behavioral therapy and serotonin reuptake inhibitors. However, the effectiveness of cognitive behavioral therapy or medications in cases with obsessive-compulsive symptoms due to general medical conditions has remained unclear. In this paper, an elderly patient who had late-onset obsessions and compulsions following chronic cerebral ischemia is presented with special emphasize made on specific issues about late-onset OCD cases and the application of standard therapeutic methods to these patients.