Partitioning the etiology of hoarding and obsessive-compulsive symptoms.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Until recently, hoarding was considered an obsessive-compulsive symptom (OCS). However, current evidence suggests that these two phenotypes may be clinically, and perhaps etiologically, distinct. Both hoarding and OCS have a genetic etiology, but the degree of unique and shared genetic contributions to these phenotypes has not been well studied.

Method

Prevalence rates were assessed for hoarding and OCS in a sample of adult twin pairs (n = 7906 twins) and their family members from The Netherlands Twin Register (total sample = 15,914). Using Mplus, genetic analyses using liability threshold models were conducted for both phenotypes, for their co-morbidity, and for specific hoarding symptoms (cluttering, discarding and acquiring).

Results

Of the total sample,

SUBMITTER: Mathews CA 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4429876 | biostudies-literature | 2014 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature