Event Title

What has the Power? Understanding the Neurobiological Basis of Hoarding

Presenter Information

Alaba Sotayo, Colby CollegeFollow

Location

Diamond 145

Start Date

1-5-2014 10:30 AM

End Date

1-5-2014 12:00 PM

Project Type

Presentation

Description

How do we classify compulsive hoarding? Is it its own neurological/psychological disorder or a subset of obsessive-compulsive personality disorder (OCD)? Before classifying it one must know that compulsive hoarding is: a disorder characterized by the difficulty in discarding items that seem to have little to no value to the individuals general well-being. Compulsive hoarding can be a debilitating disorder because the accumulation of unnecessary items can affect social interactions, put ones health at risk due to infestations, or cause anxiety and depression. At the moment, compulsive hoarding is listed in Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) IV as a symptom of OCD. Recently researchers argue that this classification is incorrect due to lack of correlation of the symptoms of patients diagnosed with compulsive hoarding versus those who are diagnosed with OCD. Those with compulsive hoarding disorder do not necessarily have OCD, and vice versa. Compulsive hoarding patients have been found to have no more obsessive compulsive personality disorder traits than non-hoarding patients. Also, OCD treatments like serotonergic medications are largely ineffective for treating hoarding. This presentation will not only attempt to properly classify what compulsive hoarding is, but it will also seeks to show the neurological basis of compulsive hoarding.

Faculty Sponsor

Melissa Glenn

Sponsoring Department

Colby College. Psychology Dept.

CLAS Field of Study

Social Sciences

Event Website

http://www.colby.edu/clas

ID

546

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May 1st, 10:30 AM May 1st, 12:00 PM

What has the Power? Understanding the Neurobiological Basis of Hoarding

Diamond 145

How do we classify compulsive hoarding? Is it its own neurological/psychological disorder or a subset of obsessive-compulsive personality disorder (OCD)? Before classifying it one must know that compulsive hoarding is: a disorder characterized by the difficulty in discarding items that seem to have little to no value to the individuals general well-being. Compulsive hoarding can be a debilitating disorder because the accumulation of unnecessary items can affect social interactions, put ones health at risk due to infestations, or cause anxiety and depression. At the moment, compulsive hoarding is listed in Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) IV as a symptom of OCD. Recently researchers argue that this classification is incorrect due to lack of correlation of the symptoms of patients diagnosed with compulsive hoarding versus those who are diagnosed with OCD. Those with compulsive hoarding disorder do not necessarily have OCD, and vice versa. Compulsive hoarding patients have been found to have no more obsessive compulsive personality disorder traits than non-hoarding patients. Also, OCD treatments like serotonergic medications are largely ineffective for treating hoarding. This presentation will not only attempt to properly classify what compulsive hoarding is, but it will also seeks to show the neurological basis of compulsive hoarding.

https://digitalcommons.colby.edu/clas/2014/program/45