Oulis P, Konstantakopoulos G, Lykouras L, Michalopoulou PG. Differential diagnosis of obsessive-compulsive symptoms from delusions in schizophrenia: A phenomenological approach. World J Psychiatr 2013; 3(3): 50-56 [PMID: 24255875 DOI: 10.5498/wjp.v3.i3.50]
Corresponding Author of This Article
Panagiotis Oulis, Associate Professor of Psychiatry, First Department of Psychiatry, Athens University Medical School, Eginition Hospital, 74 Vas Sofias av, 11528 Athens, Greece. oulisp@med.uoa.gr
Research Domain of This Article
Psychiatry
Article-Type of This Article
Editorial
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World J Psychiatr. Sep 22, 2013; 3(3): 50-56 Published online Sep 22, 2013. doi: 10.5498/wjp.v3.i3.50
Differential diagnosis of obsessive-compulsive symptoms from delusions in schizophrenia: A phenomenological approach
Panagiotis Oulis, George Konstantakopoulos, Lefteris Lykouras, Panayiota G Michalopoulou
Panagiotis Oulis, George Konstantakopoulos, First Department of Psychiatry, Athens University Medical School, Eginition Hospital, 11528 Athens, Greece
George Konstantakopoulos, Section of Cognitive Neuropsychiatry, Department of Psychosis studies, Institute of Psychiatry, King’s College London, London SE5 8AF, United Kingdom
Lefteris Lykouras, Second Department of Psychiatry, Athens University Medical School, 12462 Athens, Greece
Panayiota G Michalopoulou, Section on Schizophrenia, Imaging and Therapeutics, Department of Psychosis studies, Institute of Psychiatry, King’s College London, London SE5 8AF, United Kingdom
Panayiota G Michalopoulou, Second Department of Psychiatry, Athens University Medical School, 12462 Athens, Greece
Author contributions: All authors contributed to the conception and drafting of this paper.
Correspondence to: Panagiotis Oulis, Associate Professor of Psychiatry, First Department of Psychiatry, Athens University Medical School, Eginition Hospital, 74 Vas Sofias av, 11528 Athens, Greece. oulisp@med.uoa.gr
Telephone: +30-210-7289137 Fax: +30-210-7242020
Received: April 17, 2013 Revised: May 31, 2013 Accepted: June 8, 2013 Published online: September 22, 2013 Processing time: 217 Days and 15.4 Hours
Core Tip
Core tip: Obsessive-compulsive symptoms are commonly diagnosed in patients with schizophrenia and a distinct diagnostic sub-group of schizo-obsessive schizophrenia has been proposed. However, further research presupposes the accurate differential diagnosis of obsessions from delusions and of compulsions from repetitive behaviours motivated by delusions. We provide here a comparative examination of twelve clinical features of typical obsessions and delusions and, correlatively, of compulsions and delusional repetitive behaviours. We also discuss several still open or controversial issues, such as the nature of insight, the diagnostic status of poor insight into obsessions, the conceptualization of compulsions, as well as the diagnostic weight accorded to them.
