No association between lower IQ and OCD

[Guest guest]

I found this on the web today. It's a study that will be published

today after decades long search. I've always been told that people

with OCD have a typically higher IQ than normal. My son's IQ is also

very high.

This study does say that No association was found between lower

childhood IQ and substance dependence disorders, simple phobia, panic

disorder or obsessive-compulsive disorder.

Tracey

Contact: Todd Datz

tdatz@...

Harvard School of Public Health

Lower childhood IQ associated with higher risk of adult mental disorders

Mental health professionals should consider cognitive ability of

patients in prevention and treatment planning

Boston, MA -- Researchers have hypothesized that people with lower IQs

may have a higher risk of adult mental disorders, but few studies have

looked at the relationship between low childhood IQ and psychiatric

disorders later in life. In a new, long-term study covering more than

three decades, researchers at Harvard School of Public Health (HSPH)

found that children with lower IQs showed an increased risk of

developing psychiatric disorders as adults, including schizophrenia,

depression and generalized anxiety disorder. Lower IQ was also

associated with psychiatric disorders that were more persistent and an

increased risk of having two or more diagnoses at age 32.

The study will be published online December 1, 2008 and in the January

print issue of The American Journal of Psychiatry.

The study participants were members of the Dunedin Multidisciplinary

Health and Development Study, a cohort of children born in 1972-1973

in Dunedin, New Zealand. At the initial assessment at age 3, the study

had 1,037 children. The participants were also interviewed and tested

on their overall health and behavior at ages 5, 7, 9, 11, 13, 15, 18,

21, 26 and at age 32, when 96% of the original cohort participated.

IQs were assessed at ages 7, 9 and 11. Psychiatric disorders were

assessed at ages 18 through 32 in interviews by clinicians who had no

knowledge of the subjects' IQ or psychiatric history.

The authors used IQ as a marker of a concept called cognitive reserve,

which refers to variation between people in their brain's resilience

to neuropathological damage.

The results showed that lower childhood IQ predicted an increased risk

of a variety of adult mental disorders. " Lower childhood IQ predicted

increased risk of schizophrenia, depression, and generalized anxiety

disorder. Individuals with lower childhood IQ also had more persistent

depression and anxiety and were more likely to be diagnosed with two

or more disorders in adulthood, " said lead author Karestan Koenen,

assistant professor of society, human development, and health at HSPH.

No association was found between lower childhood IQ and substance

dependence disorders, simple phobia, panic disorder or obsessive-

compulsive disorder.

The mechanism through which lower childhood IQ might lead to increased

risk of adult anxiety disorders is not known, but the authors suggest

some possible explanations. They write that lower childhood IQ might

reveal a difference in brain health that makes an individual more

vulnerable to certain mental disorders. Another possible mechanism is

stress--individuals with lower childhood IQs are less equipped to deal

with complex challenges of modern daily life, which may make them more

vulnerable to developing mental disorders.

The findings may be helpful in treating individuals with mental health

disorders. " Lower childhood IQ was associated with greater severity of

mental disorders including persistence over time and having two or

more diagnoses at age 32, " said Koenen. " Since individuals with

persistent and multiple mental disorders are more likely to seek

services, cognitive ability may be an important factor for clinicians

to consider in treatment planning. For example, individuals with lower

cognitive ability may find it harder to follow instructions and comply

with treatment regimens. By taking clients' cognitive ability into

account, clinicians may improve treatment outcome, " she said.

The results may also be helpful in prevention planning. " Educators and

pediatricians should be aware that children with lower cognitive

ability may be at greater risk of developing psychiatric disorders.

Early detection and intervention aimed at ameliorating mental health

problems in these children may prevent these problems from carrying

over into adulthood, " said Koenen.

###

This study was supported by NIMH, the U.K. Medical Research Council,

the Ester Katz Rosen Grant for Research and Programs on Giftedness in

Children, the T. Grant Foundation, the Dunedin

Multidisciplinary Health and Development Research Unit from the New

Zealand Health Research Council, and the Royal Society-Wolfson Merit

Award (Dr. Caspi).

" Childhood IQ and Adult Mental Disorders: A Test of the Cognitive

Reserve Hypothesis, " Karestan C. Koenen, Terrie E. Moffitt, L.

, Laurie T. , Kubzansky, HonaLee Harrington, Richie

Poulton, Avshalom Caspi, American Journal of Psychiatry, online

December 1, 2008.

Visit the HSPH website for the latest news, press releases and

multimedia offerings.

Harvard School of Public Health ( http://www.hsph.harvard.edu ) is

dedicated to advancing the public's health through learning,

discovery, and communication. More than 400 faculty members are

engaged in teaching and training the 1,000-plus student body in a

broad spectrum of disciplines crucial to the health and well being of

individuals and populations around the world. Programs and projects

range from the molecular biology of AIDS vaccines to the epidemiology

of cancer; from risk analysis to violence prevention; from maternal

and children's health to quality of care measurement; from health care

management to international health and human rights. For more

information on the school visit:http://www.hsph.harvard.edu

[Guest guest]

This squares exactly with what my ds's doc told him - that dumb kids

usually don't get OCD. They have to be able to notice subtle things and

make unusual or less obvious connections.

Tracey Bautista wrote:

>

> I found this on the web today. It's a study that will be published

> today after decades long search. I've always been told that people

> with OCD have a typically higher IQ than normal. My son's IQ is also

> very high.

> This study does say that No association was found between lower

> childhood IQ and substance dependence disorders, simple phobia, panic

> disorder or obsessive-compulsive disorder.

> Tracey

>

>