Is Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder Caused by a Second-Messenger Imbalance?

CNS Spectrums ◽  
2001 ◽  
Vol 6 (3) ◽  
pp. 206-209 ◽  
Author(s):  
Donatella Marazziti ◽  
Jorge Perez ◽  
Giovanni B. Cassano
Keyword(s):  
Protein Kinase ◽  
Obsessive Compulsive Disorder ◽  
Cyclic Adenosine Monophosphate ◽  
Adenosine Monophosphate ◽  
Therapeutic Interventions ◽  
Obsessive Compulsive ◽  
Compulsive Disorder ◽  
Specific Effects ◽  
Camp Pathway ◽  
Type C

AbstractAlthough the precise etiologic nature of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), one of the most common psychiatric conditions, is unknown, several findings indicate involvement of the serotonin (5-HT) transporter. Apart from the specific effects of selective 5-HT reuptake inhibitors, other studies show decreased functionality of the platelet 5-HT transporter in OCD. In this report, the authors combine data from two independent studies of patients with OCD, showing both an increased activity of protein kinase type C (PKC) and a decreased activity of protein kinase type A (PKA). The authors propose a unifying hypothesis that OCD might be determined by an imbalance between PKC and PKA, with a prevalence of the former and, more generally, of the phosphoinositide over the cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) pathway. Should this hypothesis prove correct, the path would be open for new therapeutic interventions in the treatment of OCD.

Adenylate-cyclase Activity in Obsessive-compulsive Patients

2017 ◽  
Vol 41 (S1) ◽  
pp. S641-S642
Author(s):  
D. Marazziti ◽  
S. Baroni ◽  
F. Mucci ◽  
L. Palego ◽  
A. Piccinni
Keyword(s):  
Adenylate Cyclase ◽  
Second Messengers ◽  
Cyclic Adenosine Monophosphate ◽  
Adenosine Monophosphate ◽  
Obsessive Compulsive ◽  
Biological Assays ◽  
Compulsive Disorder ◽  
Healthy Control ◽  
Competing Interest

IntroductionA possible role of second messengers, such as cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) signalling, in the development of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) has been recently postulated.AimsThe aim of the present study was to explore and to compare the adenylate cyclase (AC) activity in both basal conditions and after the stimulation by isoprenaline (ISO) in platelets of OCD patients and healthy control subjects. The AC activity was measured both in the absence and in the presence of α- and β- adrenoreceptor antagonists.Materials and methodsForty patients were included in the study and compared with healthy volunteers. Biological assays were carried out with a method developed by us.ResultsThe basal AC activity was similar in both groups. The addition of 10 μM ISO enhanced significantly (P < .05) platelet basal AC in both groups. A stimulatory response following ISO in all subjects even without α-antagonists was also observed.DiscussionNo difference in the basal AC activity in platelet membranes of healthy subjects and OCD patients was found. Our findings showed that there is an inhibitory component of ISO effect on platelet AC, due to the agonist interaction with α2 receptors, at its higher concentrations (>1 μM), as well as a condition of supersensitive β-receptors. Our study suggests the presence of cathecolamine system disturbances in OCD.Disclosure of interestThe authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.

Quality of life and subthreshold obsessive-compulsive disorder

2007 ◽  
Vol 19 (6) ◽  
pp. 357-361 ◽  
Author(s):  
Arianna Goracci ◽  
Mirko Martinucci ◽  
Anastassia Kaperoni ◽  
Andrea Fagiolini ◽  
Chiara Sbaragli ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Quality Of Life ◽  
Obsessive Compulsive Disorder ◽  
Therapeutic Interventions ◽  
Obsessive Compulsive ◽  
Axis Ii ◽  
Compulsive Disorder ◽  
Residential Population ◽  
Current Axis ◽  
Axis I

Objective:This study investigates the relationship between subthreshold obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and quality of life (QoL) in a sample from the Italian general population.Methods:A sample of 202 psychiatrically healthy (defined as absence of current axis I and axis II disorders) subjects was recruited by word of mouth from the residential population in the Siena, Salerno and Milano municipalities (Italy). All study subjects completed the Quality of Life Enjoyment and Satisfaction Questionnaire (Q-LES-Q) and the Questionnaire for Obsessive-Compulsive Spectrum (OBS-SR), which explore a wide array of threshold and subthreshold OCD symptoms, behaviours and traits. A diagnostic assessment was conducted to exclude the presence of DSM-IV axis I and axis II disorders using the Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview and the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-III-R personality disorders, respectively.Results:A statistically significant correlation was found between the OBS-SR total score and the Q-LES-Q domains of physical health, subjective feelings, work, school, social relationships and general activities. There was also a statistically significant correlation between several Q-LES-Q and OBS-SR domains.Conclusions:The presence of subthreshold OCD is correlated with poorer QoL. More research is needed to evaluate if specific therapeutic interventions targeting subthreshold obsessive-compulsive symptoms can lead to a significant improvement in the QoL of the affected individuals.

Modulation of error monitoring in obsessive–compulsive disorder by individually tailored symptom provocation

2017 ◽  
Vol 47 (12) ◽  
pp. 2071-2080 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. Roh ◽  
J.-G. Chang ◽  
S. W. Yoo ◽  
J. Shin ◽  
C.-H. Kim
Keyword(s):  
Obsessive Compulsive Disorder ◽  
Flanker Task ◽  
Event Related Potentials ◽  
Therapeutic Interventions ◽  
Error Monitoring ◽  
Obsessive Compulsive ◽  
Symptom Provocation ◽  
Compulsive Disorder ◽  
Control Subjects ◽  
Related Potentials

BackgroundThe enhanced error monitoring in patients with obsessive–compulsive disorder (OCD), typically measured with the error-related negativity (ERN), has been found to be temporally stable and independent of symptom expression. Here, we examined whether the error monitoring in patients with OCD could be experimentally modulated by individually tailored symptom provocation.MethodTwenty patients with OCD and 20 healthy controls performed a flanker task in which OCD-relevant or neutral pictures were presented prior to a flanker stimulus. An individualized stimulus set consisting of the most provoking images in terms of OCD symptoms was selected for each patient with OCD. Response-locked event-related potentials were recorded and used to examine the error-related brain activity.ResultsPatients with OCD showed larger ERN amplitudes than did control subjects in both the OCD-symptom provocation and neutral conditions. Additionally, while patients with OCD exhibited a significant increase in the ERN under the OCD-symptom provocation condition when compared with the neutral condition, control subjects showed no variation in the ERN between the conditions.ConclusionsOur results strengthen earlier findings of hyperactive error monitoring in OCD, as indexed by higher ERN amplitudes in patients with OCD than in controls. Importantly, we showed that the patients’ overactive error-signals were experimentally enhanced by individually tailored OCD-symptom triggers, thus suggesting convincing evidence between OCD-symptoms and ERN. Such findings imply that therapeutic interventions should target affective regulation in order to alleviate the perceived threatening value of OCD triggers.

scholarly journals Session-specific effects of the Metacognitive Group Training for Obsessive–Compulsive Disorder: significant results for thought control

2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Franziska Miegel ◽  
Barbara Cludius ◽  
Birgit Hottenrott ◽  
Cüneyt Demiralay ◽  
Lena Jelinek
Keyword(s):  
Pilot Study ◽  
Obsessive Compulsive Disorder ◽  
Specific Effect ◽  
Group Training ◽  
Obsessive Compulsive ◽  
Thought Control ◽  
Compulsive Disorder ◽  
Specific Effects ◽  
Before And After ◽  
The Individual

Abstract The investigation of the session-specific effects is central for the understanding of psychological interventions. For the present study, we investigated the session-specific effects of the Metacognitive Group Training for Obsessive–Compulsive Disorder (MCT-OCD), which was revised based on data of a pilot study. Thirty-four outpatients with OCD participated in the MCT-OCD once a week over 8 weeks. Different metacognitive beliefs (e.g., thought control) and cognitive beliefs (e.g., intolerance of uncertainty), OC symptoms, as well as associated comorbid symptoms were assessed before and after each session. Linear mixed effects models showed that patients’ obsessions and compulsions, thought control, the belief of being well informed about the disorder, and action fusion improved over the course of the training. The only session-specific effect emerged for thought control, which improved immediately after the respective module. We were able to replicate the findings of the pilot study and thus corroborate the session-specific effect of the module targeting thought control. Moreover, we generated information on the mode of action of the individual modules of the MCT-OCD that allows a more in-depth evaluation of the intervention. Notably, we were able to eliminate the adverse effects of the pilot version of the MCT-OCD. Trial Registration: German Clinical Trials Register (Deutsches Register Klinischer Studien [DRKS]; DRKS-ID: DRKS00013539; registration date: 22/02/2018).

Group Treatment for Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder: An Evaluation

1991 ◽  
Vol 19 (2) ◽  
pp. 183-192 ◽  
Author(s):  
Simon J. Enright
Keyword(s):  
Obsessive Compulsive Disorder ◽  
Group Treatment ◽  
Preliminary Investigation ◽  
Individual Therapy ◽  
Obsessive Compulsive ◽  
Compulsive Disorder ◽  
Specific Effects ◽  
Pre Treatment ◽  
Group Programme ◽  
And Control

This study presents the results of a preliminary investigation into the effectiveness of treating people with obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) in group. Twenty-four clients in four groups run consecutively participated in the study. Outcome measures of statistical and clinical significance suggest that specific effects on the reduction of OCD symptoms were small. However, important positive non-specific effects were achieved relating to enhanced mood, reduction of the disabling effects of the symptoms, and clients self reported increased sense of hope, understanding and control. Initial improvements were maintained at six month follow-up. Clients' rating of helpfulness for the different contents of the group programme were highest for non-specific aspects. The author suggests that the presented group programme may have an important pre-treatment role in helping OCD clients prior to individual therapy.

scholarly journals Performance in delayed non-matching to sample task predicts the diagnosis of obsessive–compulsive disorder

2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Redwan Maatoug ◽  
Benoît Le Goff ◽  
Jean-Yves Rotge ◽  
Nemat Jaafari ◽  
Olivier Guillin ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Obsessive Compulsive Disorder ◽  
Orbitofrontal Cortex ◽  
Healthy Subjects ◽  
Therapeutic Interventions ◽  
Matching To Sample ◽  
Healthy Controls ◽  
Obsessive Compulsive ◽  
Behavioral Impairment ◽  
Compulsive Disorder ◽  
Match To Sample

AbstractElectrical stimulation studies have recently evidenced the involvement of orbitofrontal cortex (OFC) in obsessive–compulsive disorder (OCD). In addition, lateral OFC is activated in healthy subjects during delayed non-matching-to-sample task (DNMS). In the present study, we hypothesized that OCD results from a specific defect of lateral OFC processing that can be evidenced via a DNMS task. To this end, we compared the DNMS performances of 20 OCD patients vs 20 demographically matched healthy controls. As predicted, our results showed that OCD patients performed worse than healthy controls at DNMS task. To test for the specificity of this behavioral impairment, we furthermore compared OCD patients and healthy subjects on a different task not involving directly the lateral OFC: the delayed match-to-sample task (DMS). As expected, OCD patients are more impaired for both the DNMS and the DMS task, compared with healthy subjects. Moreover, OCD patients tend statistically to perform worse for the DNMS task than for DMS task. Our results suggest the DNMS task specifically target the malfunctioning areas in OCD, such as the lateral OFC. In light of these results, lateral OFC should therefore be the focus of future therapeutic interventions.

scholarly journals Defining functional brain networks underlying obsessive–compulsive disorder (OCD) using treatment-induced neuroimaging changes: a systematic review of the literature

2021 ◽  
pp. jnnp-2020-324478
Author(s):  
Kelly R. Bijanki ◽  
Yagna J. Pathak ◽  
Ricardo A. Najera ◽  
Eric A. Storch ◽  
Wayne K Goodman ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Treatment Response ◽  
Obsessive Compulsive Disorder ◽  
Functional Neuroimaging ◽  
Current Knowledge ◽  
Brain Regions ◽  
Behavioural Therapy ◽  
Anterior Cingulate ◽  
Therapeutic Interventions ◽  
Obsessive Compulsive ◽  
Compulsive Disorder

Approximately 2%–3% of the population suffers from obsessive–compulsive disorder (OCD). Several brain regions have been implicated in the pathophysiology of OCD, but their various contributions remain unclear. We examined changes in structural and functional neuroimaging before and after a variety of therapeutic interventions as an index into identifying the underlying networks involved. We identified 64 studies from 1990 to 2020 comparing pretreatment and post-treatment imaging of patients with OCD, including metabolic and perfusion, neurochemical, structural, functional and connectivity-based modalities. Treatment class included pharmacotherapy, cognitive–behavioural therapy/exposure and response prevention, stereotactic lesions, deep brain stimulation and transcranial magnetic stimulation. Changes in several brain regions are consistent and correspond with treatment response despite the heterogeneity in treatments and neuroimaging modalities. Most notable are decreases in metabolism and perfusion of the caudate, anterior cingulate cortex, thalamus and regions of prefrontal cortex (PFC) including the orbitofrontal cortex (OFC), dorsolateral PFC (DLPFC), ventromedial PFC (VMPFC) and ventrolateral PFC (VLPFC). Modulating activity within regions of the cortico-striato-thalamo-cortical system may be a common therapeutic mechanism across treatments. We identify future needs and current knowledge gaps that can be mitigated by implementing integrative methods. Future studies should incorporate a systematic, analytical approach to testing objective correlates of treatment response to better understand neurophysiological mechanisms of dysfunction.

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