Neuroimaging in obsessive-compulsive disorder

Many neuroimaging studies have investigated the pathophysiology of obsessive-compulsive disorder. These studies have contributed greatly to the development of contemporary neurocircuitry models of obsessive-compulsive disorder, which emphasize the dysfunction of fronto-striato-thalamocortical circuitry in obsessive-compulsive disorder patients. Specifically, dysfunctions of the orbitofrontal cortex, anterior cingulate cortex, thalamus and caudate nucleus have been revealed through resting state or symptom provocation studies. In addition, dysfunctional activations in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex and parietal regions have been reported. Recently, these findings have led to the suggestion that the pathogenesis of obsessive-compulsive disorder involves an imbalance between dorsal and ventral fronto-striatal circuits. In this review, we provide updated findings on structural and functional neuroimaging studies performed with obsessive-compulsive disorder patients. The limitations of traditional imaging techniques and recent developments to overcome them will also be discussed.