Attentional bias to threat in patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder

Objective In the present study, an eye-tracking methodology was employed to explore attentional bias to threat of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). Methods A total of 30 OCD patients and 30 matched health controls were recruited at the outpatient clinic in Beijing Anding Hospital. The Y-BOCS, Yale-Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale Symptom Checklist, Obsessive-Compulsive Inventory Revised, Beck Anxiety Inventory, Beck Depression Inventory, were used to assess severity of obsessive-compulsive, anxiety and depression symptoms. Attention bias characteristics were measured by eye-tracking methodology. Results OCD and control group showed no difference in direction of initial fixation for the OCD picture and threat picture (F=0.263, P=0.610). Average pupil diameter of OCD in watching OCD picture and threat picture ((2 345±1 133), (2 365±1 174) units) had no difference with control group ( (2 191±761) , (2 201±766) units, F=0.338, P=0.563) . OCD group performed longer initial gaze duration bias score to symptom-relevant stimulates than control group ((0.41±0.93) ms vs. (-0.41±0.87) ms, t=-3.494, P=0.001) . OCD's dwell time bias score of fixations for general threat stimulates was significantly longer than control group ( (54.2±4.0) % vs. (50.8±4.2) %, t=3.324, P=0.002) , OCD's frequency bias score of fixations for general threat stimulates was also significantly longer than control group ( (54.3±3.4) % vs. (51.8±4.0) %, t=2.686, P=0.009) . Conclusion The results support the theory of maintained attention in OCD attentional biases, as opposed to vigilance theory, OCD patients may not be orient to OCD stimuli any faster than individuals with lower symptom, but once a symptom-relevant stimulates be identified, the OCD patients allocate more attention to it. Key words: Obsessive-compulsive disorder; Attentional bias; Eye-tracking methodology