Neurocognitive Dysfunction and Regional Cerebral Blood Flow in Medically Naïve Patients With Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder

Previous research characterizes obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) as a complex neurobehavioral disorder that may have multiple etiologies (den Braber et al., 2008). This study analyzed neurocognitive function and change in regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) to characterize OCD. Neurocognitive function and rCBF were examined in medically naive patients with OCD and contrasted with controls. Results of this study indicated that the neurocognitive functions impaired in OCD are memory, attention, and executive function, which are primarily associated with the frontal and occipital lobes. Dysfunction in the basal ganglia and occipital lobes were associated with OCD and may be an etiological factor in the disorder.