Did I turn off the stove? Good inhibitory control can protect from influences of repeated checking

Background and objectivesObsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is an anxiety disorder characterized by compulsions aimed at reducing anxiety associated with intrusive cognitions. However, compulsive behaviors such as repeated checking were found to increase rather than decrease uncertainty related to obsessive thoughts (e.g., whether the gas stove was turned off). Some recent studies illustrate that OCD patients and their family members have inhibitory deficits, often demonstrated by the stop-signal task. The current study aims to investigate relations between inhibitory control and effects of repeated checking.MethodsFifty-five healthy participants carried out a stop-signal task followed by a repeated-checking task. Additionally, participants were asked to complete self-report questionnaires measuring OCD, anxiety and depression symptoms.ResultsConfirming our hypothesis, participants with poor inhibitory capabilities demonstrated greater uncertainty and memory distrust as a consequence of repeated checking than participants with good inhibitory control.LimitationsOur findings concern an initial investigation on a sample of healthy participants and should be replicated and extended to clinical populations.ConclusionsThese results suggest that deficits in inhibitory control may underlie cognitive vulnerability in OCD. An updated model integrating neuropsychological findings with current OCD models is suggested.

► Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) patients were found to perform poorly on response inhibition relative to control subjects.
► Repeated-checking manipulation causes memory distrust, a core characteristic of OCD.
► The memory distrust effect occurs mainly in healthy subject with poor inhibitory control mechanism.
► Inhibition deficits should be taken into account when considering the development and maintenance of OCD.