Performance of subclinical compulsive checkers on putative tests of frontal and temporal lobe memory functions.

Previous research suggests that compulsive checking is associated with a deficit in memory for actions. In addition, evidence indicates frontal lobe involvement in both obsessive-compulsive disorder and in the monitoring of self-ordered actions. We examined the relationship between compulsive checking and performance on tests putatively related to frontal and temporal lobe memory functions. Subjects consisted of two groups of 14 university students identified as checkers or noncheckers according to the checking subscale of the Maudsley Obsessional-Compulsive Inventory. Checkers demonstrated significantly poorer ability to monitor their responses on the frontal task and a trend toward better long-term visuospatial memory. When the effect of trait anxiety was controlled for, the frontal effect was reduced to a trend, but the visuospatial memory advantage was enhanced. Although both a frontal deficit and enhanced long-term visuospatial memory may contribute to compulsive checking, trait anxiety seems to play a moderating role.