Comorbidity between Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder and Schizophrenia: Is there Evidence for a "Schizoobsessive" Subtype?

This systematic review displays main findings and research regarding the nosological status of patients diagnosed with OCD and schizophrenia. Particularly, results from psychopathology, psychosocial functioning, neurocognition and treatment are arranged. On the one hand, results obtained indicate that "schizo-obsessive" patients tend to show higher depressed mood, negative symptomatology and psychosocial impairment when compared with "schizophrenia" subjects. On the other hand, no consistent differences between both psychotic groups have been found in positive symptomatology, neurocognitive performance and treatment features. Of interest, some methodological constraints hamper generalization of research findings, especially type of "schizo-obsessive" subjects recruited (OCD vs. OCS comorbidity). Overall, results collected so far do not support that "schizo-obsessive" pathology represents an independent clinical entity.