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Short- and long-term incidence of obsessive–compulsive disorder after objectively recorded potentially traumatic events

Pol-Fuster, Josep ; Fernández de la Cruz, Lorena ; Kuja-Halkola, Ralf ; de Schipper, Elles ; Lichtenstein, Paul ; Chang, Zheng ; Brikell, Isabell ; M. D’Onofrio, Brian ; Larsson, Henrik and Rück, Christian , et al. (2026) In Nature Mental Health
Abstract

The causal link between potentially traumatic events and obsessive–compulsive disorder (OCD) remains unclear due to reliance on retrospective self-reports and limited control for familial factors. Here, in this Swedish population-based cohort study, we identified 3,340,945 individuals born between 1975 and 2008 and prospectively examined the associations of objectively recorded assault/victimization and transport accidents with subsequent OCD diagnoses. Individuals exposed to assault/victimization, but not transport accidents, had an increased OCD risk (hazard ratio (HR) 1.73, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.63–1.83), especially within the first year (HR 2.31, 95% CI 1.98–2.70), decreasing thereafter (HR 1.67, 95% CI 1.57–1.77). The... (More)

The causal link between potentially traumatic events and obsessive–compulsive disorder (OCD) remains unclear due to reliance on retrospective self-reports and limited control for familial factors. Here, in this Swedish population-based cohort study, we identified 3,340,945 individuals born between 1975 and 2008 and prospectively examined the associations of objectively recorded assault/victimization and transport accidents with subsequent OCD diagnoses. Individuals exposed to assault/victimization, but not transport accidents, had an increased OCD risk (hazard ratio (HR) 1.73, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.63–1.83), especially within the first year (HR 2.31, 95% CI 1.98–2.70), decreasing thereafter (HR 1.67, 95% CI 1.57–1.77). The association persisted in discordant full sibling comparisons (HR 1.37, 95% CI 1.23–1.54). Quantitative genetic modeling indicated that the phenotypic correlation (r = 0.12) was primarily due to additive genetic (69%) and unique environmental factors (31%). These findings highlight a complex relationship between assault/victimization and OCD, involving both genetic vulnerability and individual environmental exposure.

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publication status
in press
subject
in
Nature Mental Health
publisher
Springer Nature
external identifiers
  • scopus:105035460090
ISSN
2731-6076
DOI
10.1038/s44220-026-00639-z
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
fee08469-eb62-433f-a69d-cb22a837caef
date added to LUP
2026-06-09 11:13:01
date last changed
2026-06-09 11:13:48
@article{fee08469-eb62-433f-a69d-cb22a837caef,
  abstract     = {{<p>The causal link between potentially traumatic events and obsessive–compulsive disorder (OCD) remains unclear due to reliance on retrospective self-reports and limited control for familial factors. Here, in this Swedish population-based cohort study, we identified 3,340,945 individuals born between 1975 and 2008 and prospectively examined the associations of objectively recorded assault/victimization and transport accidents with subsequent OCD diagnoses. Individuals exposed to assault/victimization, but not transport accidents, had an increased OCD risk (hazard ratio (HR) 1.73, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.63–1.83), especially within the first year (HR 2.31, 95% CI 1.98–2.70), decreasing thereafter (HR 1.67, 95% CI 1.57–1.77). The association persisted in discordant full sibling comparisons (HR 1.37, 95% CI 1.23–1.54). Quantitative genetic modeling indicated that the phenotypic correlation (r = 0.12) was primarily due to additive genetic (69%) and unique environmental factors (31%). These findings highlight a complex relationship between assault/victimization and OCD, involving both genetic vulnerability and individual environmental exposure.</p>}},
  author       = {{Pol-Fuster, Josep and Fernández de la Cruz, Lorena and Kuja-Halkola, Ralf and de Schipper, Elles and Lichtenstein, Paul and Chang, Zheng and Brikell, Isabell and M. D’Onofrio, Brian and Larsson, Henrik and Rück, Christian and Brander, Gustaf and Beucke, Jan C. and Valdimarsdóttir, Unnur A. and Mataix-Cols, David}},
  issn         = {{2731-6076}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  publisher    = {{Springer Nature}},
  series       = {{Nature Mental Health}},
  title        = {{Short- and long-term incidence of obsessive–compulsive disorder after objectively recorded potentially traumatic events}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/s44220-026-00639-z}},
  doi          = {{10.1038/s44220-026-00639-z}},
  year         = {{2026}},
}