Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder: Perspectives for the Studies of Oculomotor and Neuropsychological Functioning
Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is a common disorder in the general population, which is known for its diagnostic difficulties and a significant burden for everyday functioning of the patients. Currently, the endophenotype concept of OCD is being investigated in order to better understand its etiopathogenesis and possibilities for treatment and prevention. Endophenotype of the disorder is composed of heritable traits present in patients and, with a different degree of severity, in their healthy relatives, which affects the development of the disorder. Endophenotype consists of such multidisciplinary aspects of the disorder as its genetic background, neurobiological traits, and neural functioning. Therefore, in order to investigate the endophenotype of OCD we need to broaden and sum up the existing knowledge on neuropsychological functioning of patients with OCD as well as of individuals with its preclinical traits. In this article, we discuss both the classical views on the pathogenesis of OCD phenomenology and their criticism, which is based on the most novel research findings. This, in its turn, will help us to describe the future research destinations in this study area.