(INCOMPLETE) bio app to explaining ocd

• abnormal serotonin levels

  low

  • based on antidepressants - antidepressant drugs increasing serotonin activity shown to reduce OCD symptoms
• abnormal brain circuits

  frontal lobes

  • caudate nucleus (in basal ganglia) normally supresses signals from orbitofrontal cortex (OFC)
  • in turn OFC sends signals to thalamus about worrying things
  • when caudate nucleus damages it fails to supress minor worries - thalamus is alerted - sends signals back to OFC (worry circuit)
• abnormal brain circuit supported by

  PET scans of OCD patients while symptoms are active

  • scans show heightened activity in OFC
• serotonin and dopamine are linked to these regions of frontal lobe


  serotonin

  • key role in OFC operation and caudate nucleus
  • abnormal levels may cause malfunction

  dopamine

  • main neurotransmitter of the basal ganglia
  • high levels lead to overactivity of this region