Introduction: Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is a chronic disease that may have a great impact on functionality. The neuroimaging study on OCD has been advancing along with the advance in the technique. Functional neuroimages suggest the participation of the prefrontal cortex and basal ganglia, forming a subcortical cortex system. Study of the resting state is a new radiological technique that makes it possible to see connectivity and activity of the neuronal zones during rest. It has been used in many psychiatric conditions, among them OCD.
Objective: To review the studies on resting state in OCD.
Method: A systematic search was made in PubMed, Scielo and Liliacs, and 11 works for found for review.
Results: OCD would be caused by variations in different brain circuits. The constant perception of error and checking need could be due to an internal hyperconnection in the cingulate cortex. Difficulty to control compulsions could be caused by alterations on the prefrontal cortex level. No alterations per se of the OCD and absences in controls have been found. The differences would be more qualitative than quantitative, the OCD being a deregulation of normal processes.