iNDICA NEWS BUREAU-
A team of researchers led by Indian-American scientist Dr. Sameer Sheth has identified a specific neural activity pattern in patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) who have undergone deep brain stimulation (DBS) treatment.
The team aimed to determine how low-frequency brain oscillations in the theta (4-8 Hertz) to alpha (8-12 Hertz) range, which has been shown in numerous studies to play a crucial role in cognitive processes, were altered in people with severe, treatment-resistant OCD.
To achieve this, the team from Baylor College of Medicine and Texas Children’s Hospital used a novel feature of modern DBS devices: the ability to record brain activity while providing stimulation.
Unlike most studies conducted in laboratory conditions, this one was carried out in real-life situations.
Before DBS, predictable and periodic neural activity was observed. After its activation, symptomatic reactions were seen, as DBS helps patients let go of their phobias and ingrained responses, allowing them to behave more normally, the researchers noted in the study published in Nature Medicine.
“This neuropsychological biomarker can serve as a better litmus test to check on improvements in the lives of people with OCD and could be used for other debilitating conditions that stem from similar neural patterns,” said Dr. Sheth at Baylor College of Medicine.
OCD is a common and debilitating mental health disorder affecting approximately 2-3 percent of the global population. In severe cases, patients spend significant time engaging in repetitive compulsions and dwelling on intrusive thoughts.
OCD significantly impacts the health and quality of life of patients and careers. About 20-40 percent of people with severe OCD are resistant to traditional therapies.
Since the early 2000s, DBS therapy has been used to control neural activity in specific areas of the brain associated with OCD symptoms.
