Neuronal Correlates of Obsessions in the Caudate Nucleus
Biological Psychiatry. 2008-03-01; 63(6): 557-562
DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2007.06.023
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1. Biol Psychiatry. 2008 Mar 15;63(6):557-62. doi:
10.1016/j.biopsych.2007.06.023. Epub 2007 Oct 22.
Neuronal correlates of obsessions in the caudate nucleus.
Guehl D(1), Benazzouz A, Aouizerate B, Cuny E, Rotgé JY, Rougier A, Tignol J,
Bioulac B, Burbaud P.
Author information:
(1)Department of Clinical Neurophysiology, CHU de Bordeaux, Place Amélie
Rabat-Léon, Centre National de Recherche Scientifique Unité Mixte de Recherche
5543, Université Victor Segalen, Bordeaux, France.
Comment in
Biol Psychiatry. 2008 Mar 15;63(6):542-3.
BACKGROUND: Metabolic overactivity of corticosubcortical loops including the
caudate nucleus (CN) has been reported in obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)
using functional imaging techniques. However, direct proof of a modification of
neuronal activity within the CN of OCD patients is still lacking. We tested the
hypothesis that obsessions or compulsions might be associated with particular
features of neuronal activity in the CN of OCD patients.
METHODS: Single unit recordings were performed peroperatively in the CN of three
patients with severe forms of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) who were
candidates for deep brain stimulation of the CN. Severity of obsessions was
assessed preoperatively with the Yale-Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale (Y-BOCS)
and peroperatively with a subjective obsession score based on a visual analog
scale (VAS).
RESULTS: Frequency of CN discharge and variability of interspike intervals were
found to be abnormally high in two patients with a high VAS score during surgery
but not in one with a low VAS score. Lateralization and depth of recording
influenced neuronal activity variably among patients.
CONCLUSIONS: Because the three patients had high Y-BOCS scores before surgery,
these findings suggest that caudate hyperactivity in OCD is concomitant with the
occurrence of the obsession process.
DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2007.06.023
PMID: 17945196 [Indexed for MEDLINE]