Spontaneous magnetoencephalographic activity in patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder

Brain Res. 2007 Jan 19;1129(1):200-5. doi: 10.1016/j.brainres.2006.10.048. Epub 2006 Dec 6.

Abstract

Non-invasive functional imaging techniques have begun to delineate the underlying neurophysiological basis of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). In the present study, we investigated slow (2-6 Hz) and fast (12.5-30 Hz) spontaneous magnetoencephalographic (MEG) activity in ten patients with obsessive-compulsive disorders compared to ten healthy control subjects. Fast MEG activity was significantly elevated in OCD patients. The corresponding dipole density maxima were concentrated on the left superior temporal gyrus. Although no differences were detected in the absolute dipole numbers between controls and OCD patients regarding slow MEG activity, only the latter showed a clustering of slow MEG activity over their left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex. We conclude that alterations of spontaneous MEG activity in prefrontal and temporal cortices may be linked to the pathogenesis of OCD. Therefore, we provide further functional neuroimaging evidence that the complex features of OCD have neural correlates, which may help in a future understanding of this disease.

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Brain Mapping
  • Cerebral Cortex / anatomy & histology
  • Cerebral Cortex / physiopathology*
  • Evoked Potentials / physiology*
  • Female
  • Functional Laterality / physiology*
  • Humans
  • Magnetoencephalography
  • Male
  • Nerve Net / anatomy & histology
  • Nerve Net / physiopathology
  • Neural Pathways / anatomy & histology
  • Neural Pathways / physiopathology
  • Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder / diagnosis*
  • Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder / physiopathology*
  • Predictive Value of Tests
  • Prefrontal Cortex / anatomy & histology
  • Prefrontal Cortex / physiopathology
  • Temporal Lobe / anatomy & histology
  • Temporal Lobe / physiopathology
  • Time Factors