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Related Concept Videos

Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder01:28

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Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is a mental health condition characterized by recurrent obsessions, compulsions, or both, which consume significant time and interfere with daily functioning. Obsessions involve persistent, intrusive, and unwanted thoughts, images, or urges that evoke anxiety. Common examples include irrational fears of contamination or harm. Compulsions are repetitive behaviors or mental acts performed to reduce the anxiety caused by obsessions. For instance, individuals...
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A Conflict Model of Reward-seeking Behavior in Male Rats
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Brain circuitry of compulsivity.

Odile A van den Heuvel1, Guido van Wingen2, Carles Soriano-Mas3

  • 1Department of Psychiatry, VU University Medical Center (VUmc), Amsterdam, The Netherlands; Department of Anatomy & Neurosciences, VUmc, Amsterdam, The Netherlands; The Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder Team, Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway.

European Neuropsychopharmacology : the Journal of the European College of Neuropsychopharmacology
|December 30, 2015
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Compulsivity involves changes in brain circuits for emotion, control, and movement, influenced by genetics and environment. Understanding these neurobiological changes is key to treating disorders like obsessive-compulsive disorder and addiction.

Keywords:
AnxietyCompulsivityCortico-striato-thalamico-cortical circuitsLimbicNeuroimaging

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Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Psychiatry
  • Behavioral Science

Background:

  • Compulsivity is linked to altered brain circuit structure and function, impacting emotional processing, cognitive control, and motor skills.
  • These circuits develop early, influenced by genetic and environmental factors.
  • This review synthesizes research on cognitive, emotional, and behavioral aspects of compulsivity, primarily from obsessive-compulsive disorder and addiction studies.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review cognitive, emotional, and behavioral processes in compulsivity.
  • To explore the neurobiological underpinnings of compulsive disorders.
  • To highlight the role of neuroplasticity in disease progression and treatment.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review synthesizing studies on obsessive-compulsive disorder and addiction.
  • Analysis of cognitive, emotional, and behavioral data related to compulsivity.
  • Examination of neurobiological changes and neuroplasticity in compulsive disorders.

Main Results:

  • Compulsive behaviors can shift from goal-directed to habitual over time.
  • Chronic compulsive disorders involve neuroplastic changes in affected brain circuits.
  • Successful treatments can normalize brain circuit function or promote compensatory mechanisms.

Conclusions:

  • Understanding the neurobiology of individual symptom profiles and disease progression is crucial.
  • Identifying targets for neuroplasticity is an unmet need in advancing the field of compulsivity research.
  • Further research into neurobiological characteristics can improve treatment strategies for compulsive disorders.