Brain microstructural changes and cognitive correlates in patients with pure obsessive compulsive disorder

Abstract

ObjectThe aim of this study was to investigate macrostructural and microstructural brain changes in patients with pure obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) and to examine the relationship between brain structure and neuropsychological deficits.Method20 patients with OCD underwent a comprehensive neuropsychological battery. A combined voxel-based morphometry (VBM) and diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) analysis was used to capture gray matter (GM) and white matter changes in OCD patients as compared to pair-matched healthy volunteers. Multiple regression designs explored the relationship between cognition and neuroimaging parameters.ResultsOCD patients had increased mean diffusivity (MD) in GM nodes of the orbitofronto-striatal loop (left dorsal anterior cingulate [Z = 3.67, P < 0.001] left insula [Z = 3.35 P < 0.001] left thalamus [Z = 3.59, P < 0.001] left parahippocampal gyrus [Z = 3.77 P < 0.001]) and in lateral frontal and posterior associative cortices (right frontal operculum [Z = 3.42 P < 0.001], right temporal lobe [Z = 3.79 P < 0.001] left parietal lobe [Z = 3.91 P < 0.001]). Decreased fractional anisotropy (FA) was detected in intrahemispheric (left superior longitudinal fasciculus [Z = 4.07 P < 0.001]) and interhemispheric (body of corpus callosum [CC, Z = 4.42 P < 0.001]) bundles. Concurrently, the semantic fluency score, a measure of executive control processes, significantly predicted OCD diagnosis (Odds Ratio = 1.37; 95% Confidence Intervals = 1.09–1.73; P = 0.0058), while variation in performance was correlated with increased MD in left temporal (Z = 4.25 P < 0.001) and bilateral parietal regions (left Z = 3.94, right Z = 4.19 P < 0.001), and decreased FA in the right posterior corona radiata (Z = 4.07 P < 0.001) and the left corticospinal tract (Z = 3.95 P < 0.001).ConclusionsThe reported deficit in executive processes and the underlying microstructural alterations may qualify as behavioral and biological markers of OCD.

Shared white matter alterations across emotional disorders: A voxel-based meta-analysis of fractional anisotropy

“…These functions are consistent with the impairments in perception of and attention to emotional information in ED, including prosody and facial expressions of emotion. Our findings of reduced FA in the SLF are also supported by the TBSS studies reported in the Supplement, including findings from studies of reduced FA in the left SLF in OCD (Spalletta et al, 2014) and PTSD (Fani et al, 2012), as well of studies of BD (Ambrosi et al, 2013), particularly in the left SLF (Versace et al, 2010), as well as in the right hemisphere in MDD (Murphy et al, 2012) and OCD (Benedetti et al, 2013), and bilaterally in treatment-resistant depression (de Diego-Adelino et al, 2014). …”

Meta-analytic investigations of structural grey matter, executive domain-related functional activations, and white matter diffusivity in obsessive compulsive disorder: An integrative review

“…Ascending fibers connect the thalamus to cerebral cortex, and descending fibers connect the fronto-parietal cortex to sub-cortical basal ganglia regions and the spinal cord (Catani et al, 2002). A key region in processing sensory and motor information, the corona radiata has also been reported to be heavily involved in cognitive control (Chaddock-Heyman et al, 2013;Mackiewicz Seghete et al, 2013;Spalletta et al, 2014) and motor regulation processes (Kim and Pope, 2005). In particular, a recent study reported impaired executive function performances in trail-making test in patients with damage to the posterior corona radiata region (Li et al, 2014).…”

“…Of these, 16 articles reported foci that corresponded to increase or reduced FA in patients compared to controls (Admon et al, 2012;Benedetti et al, 2013;Fan et al, 2012;Garibotto et al, 2010;Gruner et al, 2012;Ha et al, 2009;Li et al, 2011Li et al, , 2013Lochner et al, 2012;Menzies et al, 2008b;Nakamae et al, 2008Nakamae et al, , 2011Spalletta et al, 2014;Szeszko et al, 2005;Yoo et al, 2007;Zarei et al, 2011). Out of the 16 articles, 6 were further excluded (4 utilized TBSS techniques, 1 utilized data-driven approach, 1 utilized ROIonly analyses), resulting in a final count of 10 articles for Study 3.…”

Meta-analytic investigations of common and distinct grey matter alterations in youths and adults with obsessive-compulsive disorder

“…Of these, eight (8 datasets) consisted of OCD-youth samples (Carmona et al, 2007;Koprivova et al, 2009;Matsumoto et al, 2010b;Pujol et al, 2004;Riffkin et al, 2005;Spalletta et al, 2014;Subira et al, 2013;Tan et al, 2013;Tang et al, 2013;Togao et al, 2010;Valente et al, 2005;van den Heuvel et al, 2009;Yoo et al, 2008).…”

“…Of these, 30 VBM studies (including 3 negative studies) (Lazaro et al, 2014;Riffkin et al, 2005;Spalletta et al, 2014) were selected for further consideration after primary screening. No additional articles were found in the reference lists of the selected studies.…”