| It was not so long ago when people blamed life | | | | happen mostly in the region where abnormality also |
| experiences as the root cause of OCD. However, | | | | appears for people with other mental disorders such |
| with the recent advancements of science and with the | | | | as schizophrenia is enough to deduce that it can be |
| new discoveries of potent drugs, this old belief has | | | | treated biologically. |
| slowly faded out of the scene. | | | | Neuropsychological studies have shown that people |
| The neurobiological basis associated with OCD has | | | | with OCD have less white matter in the brain as |
| been further fortified by the fact that OCD patients do | | | | compared to others diagnosed to be free from any |
| respond to medications specifically formulated to | | | | disorder. The results of these studies were made |
| affect the neurotransmitter serotonin. Such findings | | | | possible through the use of magnetic resonance |
| have led to the dismissal of the notion that OCD can | | | | imaging. Faced with such findings, neurologists are yet |
| only be attributed to certain behaviors or traits learned | | | | in the process of understanding its significance to the |
| in childhood. OCD behaviors such as unusual emphasis | | | | search for the causes of OCD. |
| to order and cleanliness, or strong rejections to certain | | | | Moreover, it was found out that people with existing |
| societal ideals deemed as dangerous to oneself are | | | | mental disorders are likely to develop OCD as well. In a |
| simple examples. | | | | certain study, it was concluded that patients with |
| Modern efforts to discover the real OCD causes have | | | | Tourette's Syndrome have a higher rate of having |
| incorporated focus on the interaction of neurobiological | | | | OCD. Tourette's syndrome is characterized by |
| factors, the cognitive processes of an individual and | | | | involuntary speech and action. Nonetheless, brain |
| influences from the surrounding. By discovering the | | | | investigators are also looking into the possibility that the |
| cause, experts hope that eventually the development | | | | relationship could only be genetic or incidental. |
| of OCD can be prevented. OCD has been known to | | | | Scientists have also reached great extents in studying |
| co-exist with other disorders that extend from obesity, | | | | OCD. Molecular basis for the disorder has been |
| bulimia or anorexia to insomnia, depression, ADHD and | | | | continually formulated through systematic genetic |
| the like. | | | | studies. Scientists pay extra attention to the angle |
| Developments in science have enabled experts to | | | | associated with genetics because of the fact that |
| study the brains of people with OCD through the use | | | | OCD is has been linked to trichitillimanis, body |
| of the Positron Emission Tomography (PET) Scanner. | | | | dysmorphic disorder and hypochondriasis in many |
| Findings obtained through PET have shown that | | | | cases recorded. |
| people with OCD exhibit a different brain activity | | | | However, theories relating OCD to the environment |
| pattern as compared to those without OCD or those | | | | and upbringing which might have molded an individual's |
| with a different mental illness. While there are no | | | | attitude and principles are still not completely dismissed. |
| evidences yet to prove that clinical improvement can | | | | These other theories are still entertained because |
| be attained through medication or behavior therapy, the | | | | experts believe that cognitive and behavioral theories |
| findings proving that the abnormal brain activity pattern | | | | are not at all unrelated. |