Understanding obsessive-compulsive disorder: focus on decision making.

Full Abstract

Current approaches to obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) have suggested that neurobiological abnormalities play a crucial role in the etiology and course of this psychiatric illness. In particular, a fronto-subcortical circuit, including the orbitofrontal cortex, basal ganglia and thalamus appears to be involved in the expression of OCD symptoms. Neuropsychological studies have also shown that patients with OCD show deficits in cognitive abilities that are strictly linked to the functioning of the frontal lobe and its related fronto-subcortical structures, such as executive functioning deficits and insufficient cognitive-behavioral flexibility. This article focuses on decision making, an executive ability that plays a crucial role in many real-life situations, whereby individuals choose between pursuing strategies of action that involve only immediate reward and others based on long-term reward. Although the role of decision-making deficits in the evolution of OCD requires further research, the collected findings have significant implications for understanding the clinical and behavioral heterogeneity that characterizes individuals with OCD.

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Author information

Author/s: Cavedini, Paolo (P); Gorini, Alessandra (A); Bellodi, Laura (L);

Affiliation: San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Department of Neuropsychiatric Sciences, Universitá Vita-Salute San Raffaele, Faculty of Psychology, 20 Via Stamir D'Aneona, 20127 Milan, Italy. cavedini.paolo(-atsign-)hsr.it

Journal and publication information

Publication Type: Journal Article; Review

Journal: Neuropsychology review (Neuropsychol Rev), published in United States. (Language: eng)

Reference: 2006-Mar; vol 16 (issue 1) : pp 3-15

Dates: Created 2006/06/23; Completed 2006/09/08;

PMID: 16708289, status: MEDLINE (last retrieval date: 12/26/2008)

Sourced from the National Library of Medicine. Abstract text and other information may be subject to copyright.

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MeSH headings (categories)

This article was linked to the MESH Headings shown below.

Brain - pathology
Decision Making - physiology
Humans
Neurobiology

Neurobiology
Neuropsychology
Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder - physiopathology; psychology
Problem Solving - physiology

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