Examining neurocognition in body dysmorphic disorder using the Repeatable Battery for the Assessment of Neuropsychological Status (RBANS): A comparison with obsessive-compulsive disorder

Body dysmorphic disorder (BDD) is characterised by (i) an excessive preoccupation with an imagined defect in appearance, as well as (ii) repetitive behaviours and/or mental acts that occur in response to the preoccupation. To date, neuropsychological investigations have been limited. This study examined performance on the Repeatable Battery for the Assessment of Neuropsychological Status (RBANS), tapping into five indices of neurocognition: (i) Immediate Memory, (ii) Visuospatial Construction, (iii) Language, (iv) Attention, and (iv) Delayed Memory. Twenty-one BDD participants were compared with 19 obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) participants and 21 healthy controls (HC), who were age-, sex-, and IQ-matched. Results indicated the BDD and OCD groups demonstrated poor overall neuropsychological performance (i.e. total RBANS) as well as deficits on the indices of Immediate Memory and Attention. Further group differences involving the subtests of Story Memory, Digit Span, and Story Recall were detected. Neuropsychological impairment in BDD with indicated similarities in OCD were corroborated. Future research should extend investigations focusing on gist and delayed memory, and aspects of attentional processing.