Brain functional specialization in obsessive-compulsive disorder associated with neurotransmitter profiles

Abstract

Background: Cerebral specialization is an important functional architecture of the human brain. Abnormal cerebral specialization may be the underlying pathogenesis of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). Resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI) was used to show that the specialization pattern of OCD was of great significance for early warning and precise intervention of the disease.

Method: The autonomy index (AI) based on the rs-fMRI was calculated to compare brain specializations between 80 OCD patients and 81 matched healthy controls (HCs). In addition, we also correlated the AI alteration patterns with neurotransmitter receptor/transporter densities.

Results: OCD patients showed increased AI in the right insula and right superior temporal gyrus when compared with HCs. In addition, AI differences were associated with serotonin receptors (5-HT_1AR and 5HT₄R), dopamine D2 receptors, norepinephrine transporters, and metabotropic glutamate receptor densities.

Limitations: Drug effect; cross-sectional study design; the selection of positron emission tomography template.

Conclusions: This study showed abnormal specialization patterns in OCD patients, which may lead to the elucidation of the underlying pathological mechanism of the disease.

Keywords: Cerebral specialization; Neurotransmitters receptors/transporters; Obsessive-compulsive disorder; Resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging.