D Rankins

Publications (4)6.35 Total impact

• Article: The semantic Simon effect in Tourette's syndrome and obsessive-compulsive disorder.

  D Rankins, J L Bradshaw, N Georgiou-Karistianis
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  ABSTRACT: Core symptoms of Tourette's syndrome (TS) and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) may be attributed to an impairment in inhibitory control. Neuropsychological studies have addressed inhibition in both disorders, but findings have been inconsistent. The aim of this study was to examine cognitive inhibition, using a semantic Simon effect paradigm, in patients with TS and OCD. Furthermore, to address comorbidity a group of TS+OCD patients was also examined. Results indicated that patients with TS and OCD were affected by the inhibitory components of the task. TS groups performed similarly to controls on simple and choice RT tasks, but were particularly compromised as increasingly complex inhibitory demands were imposed. OCD patients were slower and committed more errors than controls, especially in the more cognitively demanding conditions, and were particularly disadvantaged by incongruent stimulus-response compatibilities. Findings implicate possible fronto-striatal dysfunction, are consistent with previously reported inhibitory deficits in TS and OCD, and support the theory that comorbid TS+OCD is more closely linked to pure TS than OCD.
  Brain and Cognition 09/2006; 61(3):225-34. · 3.17 Impact Factor
• Article: Local-global processing in obsessive-compulsive disorder and comorbid Tourette's syndrome.

  D Rankins, J L Bradshaw, N Georgiou-Karistianis
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  ABSTRACT: Neuropsychological and neuroimaging studies implicate attentional difficulties in obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), but results are inconsistent due possibly to sample heterogeneity and lack of control of comorbid disorders, such as Tourette's syndrome (TS). Nevertheless, it has been suggested that OCD symptomatology may be a result of over-focused attention at a local level. Therefore, this study aimed to examine the ability of OCD patients (pure and comorbid OCD + TS) to process local and global stimuli. Using a local-global paradigm, participants were required to respond to the directed level (local or global) of various stimuli. Results indicate that pure OCD participants were impaired on the global task, whereas comorbid OCD + TS participants had difficulty processing local information. Results are consistent with previously reported lateralisation anomalies and suggest that OCD negatively affects the ability to process hierarchically presented stimuli.
  Brain and Cognition 11/2005; 59(1):43-51. · 3.17 Impact Factor
• Article: Local–global processing in obsessive–compulsive disorder and comorbid Tourette’s syndrome

  D. Rankins, J.L. Bradshaw, N. Georgiou-Karistianis
  [show abstract] [hide abstract]
  ABSTRACT: Neuropsychological and neuroimaging studies implicate attentional difficulties in obsessive–compulsive disorder (OCD), but results are inconsistent due possibly to sample heterogeneity and lack of control of comorbid disorders, such as Tourette’s syndrome (TS). Nevertheless, it has been suggested that OCD symptomatology may be a result of overfocused attention at a local level. Therefore, this study aimed to examine the ability of OCD patients (pure and comorbid OCD + TS) to process local and global stimuli. Using a local–global paradigm, participants were required to respond to the directed level (local or global) of various stimuli. Results indicate that pure OCD participants were impaired on the global task, whereas comorbid OCD + TS participants had difficulty processing local information. Results are consistent with previously reported lateralisation anomalies and suggest that OCD negatively affects the ability to process hierarchically presented stimuli.
  Brain and Cognition.
• Article: The semantic Simon effect in Tourette’s syndrome and obsessive-compulsive disorder

  D. Rankins, J.L. Bradshaw, N. Georgiou-Karistianis
  [show abstract] [hide abstract]
  ABSTRACT: Core symptoms of Tourette’s syndrome (TS) and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) may be attributed to an impairment in inhibitory control. Neuropsychological studies have addressed inhibition in both disorders, but findings have been inconsistent. The aim of this study was to examine cognitive inhibition, using a semantic Simon effect paradigm, in patients with TS and OCD. Furthermore, to address comorbidity a group of TS + OCD patients was also examined. Results indicated that patients with TS and OCD were affected by the inhibitory components of the task. TS groups performed similarly to controls on simple and choice RT tasks, but were particularly compromised as increasingly complex inhibitory demands were imposed. OCD patients were slower and committed more errors than controls, especially in the more cognitively demanding conditions, and were particularly disadvantaged by incongruent stimulus-response compatibilities. Findings implicate possible fronto-striatal dysfunction, are consistent with previously reported inhibitory deficits in TS and OCD, and support the theory that comorbid TS + OCD is more closely linked to pure TS than OCD.
  Brain and Cognition.