Cognitive and neurobiological findings in obsessive-compulsive disorder

The neurobiology of obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) is an area of great interest. Attempts have been made to relate neuropsychological deficits to specific brain abnormalities, such as involvement of frontal-striatal systems leading to executive deficits. This has been augmented by study of patients with known lesions of the striatum who develop OCD symptoms. Neuroimaging studies suggest that orbitofrontal cortex and caudate abnormalities may play a role. Additional information about the neurobiology of OCD comes from assessment of neurological soft signs, which suggest complex brain dysfunction.