Sensory over-responsivity and orbitofrontal cortex connectivity in obsessive-compulsive disorder.

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Psychiatry
• Neuroimaging

Background:

• Sensory over-responsivity (SOR) is prevalent in obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), correlating with symptom severity and functional impairment.
• The underlying neural mechanisms of SOR in OCD remain largely unexplored.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the neural substrates of SOR in adults with OCD using resting-state functional connectivity.
• To examine the relationship between SOR and global functional connectivity in the brain.

Main Methods:

• Resting-state fMRI data from 119 adults with OCD were analyzed using the CONN-fMRI Functional Connectivity Toolbox.
• Sensory over-responsivity was assessed using the Adult and Adolescent Sensory Profile (AASP).
• OCD severity, anxiety, and depressive symptoms were also measured using validated scales.

Main Results:

• A significant positive association was found between SOR and global functional connectivity in the anterior and medial orbitofrontal cortex (OFC).
• This specific OFC connectivity pattern was identified as a potential neurobiological marker for SOR in OCD.

Conclusions:

• Orbitofrontal cortex (OFC) functional connectivity is implicated as a neurobiological mechanism underlying SOR in OCD.
• The neural substrates of SOR in OCD may be distinct from other OCD symptoms and SOR in different disorders.
• Further research could leverage these findings for developing targeted OCD treatments and understanding SOR pathophysiology in other conditions.