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Sleep Disturbance in Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder: Preliminary Evidence for a Mechanistic Relationship

  • Sleep and Psychological Disorders (DT Plante, Section Editor)
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Abstract

Purpose of Review

Sleep disturbance has received growing attention as a transdiagnostic factor that may contribute to multiple forms of psychopathology, including obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). The extant literature regarding the role of sleep disturbance in OCD is rapidly developing. This review integrates the findings related to sleep and OCD over the past year and highlights important areas for future research.

Recent Findings

Results indicate impaired sleep in those with OCD versus healthy controls and link sleep disturbance to OCD symptom severity in multiple samples. Findings from the past year also implicate cognitive control as a potential mechanism in this relationship. Finally, a recent treatment outcome study suggests that sleep disturbance may limit treatment response in pediatric OCD.

Summary

Findings from the past year contribute to the robustness of the small, but growing body of literature linking sleep disturbance to OCD. These results highlight the importance of incorporating sleep disturbance into extant models of OCD and suggest that consideration of the biopsychosocial effects of sleep disturbance may offer novel insight into the etiology and treatment of OCD.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychology, Vanderbilt University, 301 Wilson Hall, 111 21st Avenue South, Nashville, TN, 37240, USA

    Rebecca C. Cox, Sarah Jessup & Bunmi O. Olatunji

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  1. Rebecca C. Cox
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  2. Sarah Jessup
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  3. Bunmi O. Olatunji
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Correspondence to Bunmi O. Olatunji.

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Conflict of Interest

Rebecca Cox, Sarah Jessup, and Bunmi Olatunji each declare no conflict of interest.

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This article does not contain any studies with human or animal subjects performed by any of the authors.

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This article is part of the Topical Collection on Sleep and Psychological Disorders

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Cox, R.C., Jessup, S. & Olatunji, B.O. Sleep Disturbance in Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder: Preliminary Evidence for a Mechanistic Relationship. Curr Sleep Medicine Rep 4, 89–93 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40675-018-0109-4

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