← Back to Research Papers

Very Late Onset of Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder: Case Report and Review of Published Cases in Those More Than 60 Years Old.

Authors: Fernandes CP, Vilaverde D, Freitas D, Pereira F, Morgado P
Journal: The Journal of nervous and mental disease
Age Factors Age of Onset Aged Female Humans Male Middle Aged Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder Risk Factors

Abstract

It is widely agreed that obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is less common among the elderly. However, several studies suggest that a third peak of OCD onset may occur after the age of 65. The onset of OCD in the elderly is unusual and mostly related to nonpsychiatric diagnoses. Nonetheless, some reports have documented late-onset OCD in older adults with no detection of cerebral abnormalities. Such differences in age of onset may be associated with phenotypical differences in disease severity, comorbidity, and treatment response across patients. In this report, we describe the case of late-onset OCD in an 80-year old man with no specific focal brain structural abnormality. The report could improve awareness of the disorder in the elderly and contribute to a better identification of clinical characteristics and additional risk factors of OCD.