The “Compulsive Behavior and Impulsivity in OCD and DEHB: New Approaches and Arguments for Treatment” themed symposium which was held with the cooperation of Bahçeşehir University Department of Psychology and Cambridge University was realized in Bahçeşehir University, Beşiktaş Campus. Psychiatrists, neurologists and clinic psychologists paid great attention to the symposium held on June the 16th 2012.
Associate Professor Dr. Yeşim Korkut, emphasized on the importance of the cooperation of Bahçeşehir University, Department of Psychology and Cambridge University in the opening speech, and mentioned about the importance of the data gained from the contemporary monitoring techniques used in neuroscience, which provides us with a better understanding of brain-mental processes’ in clinical psychology and Psychoanalyses. Korkut mentioned about the possibilities which may be derived from Neuropsychology, a new developing technology and expressed that how new findings on OCD spectrum disorder verified the thoughts of Freud -who started his career as a Neurologist one century ago on- on Obsessive Neurosis based completely on clinical observations.
Professor Naomi Fineberg summarized the current status of obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) and OCD spectrum disorders including diseases related with OCD and gave some information about new clinical classifications proposed in the DSM-5, the psychiatric diseases classification book. She stated the importance of neuropsychological endophenotype concept in understanding behavioral disorders and explained how the21 relationship between brain and behavior in OCD is researched with cognitive tests and monitoring methods in the light of studies she carried out Cambridge University together with her crew. Based on recent brain connectivity researches, Prof. Fineberg presented some findings that show similar brain systems are affected in OCD spectrum disorders and substance dependence, and stated that the researches with regard to the common physiopathology of impulsivity and compulsivity concepts includes various phenomenon and shall make significant contribution to the treatment of such heterogenic diseases.
Dr. Sharon Morein Zamir, summarized neurocognitive volitions affected in OCD and explained how neuropsychological evaluation and brain monitoring studies are modeled using the example of response inhibition with regard to the studies of brain functions. Doctor presented how neuropsychological functions differ in OCD depending on the factors like emotions and motivation and how additional depression diagnosis-which is so common in this patient group- affects brain functions depending on latest findings derived from the researches carried out in Cambridge University. In the last part of his speech Doctor discussed how impulsivities are evaluated in terms of neuropsychology in Adult Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder patients, and presented the findings of monitoring of brain functions that intersects with compulsivity.
Associate Professor Doctor Metehan Irak, having introduced metacognition, he explained how this concept is researched in psychopathology and empiric research models. He explained the role of metacognition in the change of behaviors in OCD by affecting attention and memory mechanisms and basing on the data gained from the researches carried out in Bahçeşehir University Brain and Cognition Research Center, shared some information about metacognition’s interactivity with brain functions. He discussed the change of brain systems by metacognition-based therapies and other treatment methods in the light of data gained from the studies on monitoring the relationship between brain mechanisms and the “feeling of cognition”.
Dr. Ulrich Müller, started his speech by emphasizing on the importance of clinical properties and multidirectional diagnostic evolution in Adult Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. Dr. Müller explained the relationship between Adult Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorders-a neuro-development disorder- other psychopathologic situations in childhood and adult ages, and he explained the importance of impulsivity in Adult Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder with the data gained from brain monitoring studies. He talked about the effect of drug therapy in the to the course of disease and its preventive effects on additional diseases such as substance dependence and depression. He also presented the changes observed in brain chemistry in other diseases related with impulsivity. He concluded his speech with discussions on the usage of stimulant drugs on non-clinical cases and made a presentation on psychotherapy methods.
At the end of all presentations a general discussion under the management of Dr. Muzaffer Kaşer was made with the attendance of all speakers. The symposium became richer with the questions and contributions of the participants and the participants stated that they wished the cooperation with Cambridge University to continue and such activities to be repeated.
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