2007 Fiscal Year Final Research Report Summary
A functional MRI study on brain functions of patients with OCD before and after treatment
| Project/Area Number |
17591236
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| Research Category |
Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
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| Allocation Type | Single-year Grants |
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| Section | 一般 |
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| Research Field |
Psychiatric science
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| Research Institution | Kawasaki Medical School |
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Principal Investigator |
NAKAGAWA Akiko Kawasaki Medical School, Psychiatry, Associate Professor (70253424)
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| Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha) |
KANBA Shigenobu Kyushu University, Psychiatry, Professor (50195187)
YOSHIURA Takashi Kyushu University Hospital, Radiology, Lecturer (40322747)
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| Project Period (FY) |
2005 – 2007
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| Keywords | obsessive-compulsive disorder / fMRI / cognitive function / behavior therapy / Stroop Test / treatment effect |
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| Research Abstract |
Dysfunction of the frontal-subcortical circuits has been the most common finding in the pathophysiology of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), and recent neuropsychological studies have shown cognitive impairments in OCD. To clarify the pathophysiology of OCD without the confounding effects of medication, we investigated the alterations of brain function in OCD patients and changes after clinical improvement due solely to behavior therapy. The participants were 11 outpatients with OCD and 19 normal controls. The patients received 12 weeks of behavior therapy. We investigated the differences in the behavioral performance and functional magnetic resonance imaging results during the Stroop test in the patients and normal controls, and their changes after treatment in the patients. The patients showed less activation in the anterior cingulate gyrus and cerebellum than control subjects. Following significant improvement in OC symptoms, the cerebellum and parietal lobe showed increased activation, and the orbitofrontal cortex, middle frontal gyrus, and temporal regions showed decreased activation during the Stroop task, and performance of the task itself improved. Our findings suggest that dysfunction of the posterior brain regions, especially the cerebellum, is involved in the pathogenesis of OCD, and that it can be recovered with improvement of OC symptoms.
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Research Products
(11 results)
