The cognitive neuropsychology of obsessive-compulsive disorder: A critical review

• A quarter century of neuropsychological research in OCD yielded mixed results.
• A comprehensive critical review of the OCD neuropsychological literature is presented.
• Central concepts and contemporary controversies are discussed.
• Novel insights and recommendation for future research are offered.

For over a quarter century, a substantial body of literature investigating neuropsychological test performance in obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) has yielded inconsistent results. Thus, it has been continuously challenging to draw conclusions regarding an OCD-specific neuropsychological profile. In this comprehensive review of the neuropsychological literature in OCD, we critically review neuropsychological test performance by domain, as well as potential moderators of neuropsychological functions, proposed endophenotypes, neuropsychological predictors of treatment response, and contemporary controversies in the field. Previous qualitative/systematic reviews of this body of literature have repeatedly noted its inconsistency, concluding that more research is needed. Unfortunately, the accumulation of neuropsychological research is OCD has not yet promoted our ability to draw conclusions about a distinct neuropsychological profile of OCD. Thus, we conclude this review with novel suggestions for future investigations.