Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is a psychiatric condition involving recurrent and intrusive thoughts and repetitive actions. OCD can be debilitating and can negatively impact family, school, and social functioning. 2.5% of children and adolescents struggle with OCD, and approximately 76% of OCD patients begin to show symptoms at an early age. Recent research has identified the limbic system, specifically the brain structures hippocampus and amygdala, to play a role in OCD neurobiology. Understanding the underlying brain abnormalities in patients with OCD is important in learning how to accordingly treat the condition.
Previous research has found differences in hippocampal size in adult patients with OCD. The present study by Vattimo and researchers (2021) builds upon previous research indicating the importance of these structures (hippocampus and amygdala) in OCD neurobiology. Research has found adults with OCD to have significantly smaller hippocampi when compared to a group of healthy adults. In general, studies have consistently found differences in the hippocampal size of adults with OCD. However, the role of this structure in children with OCD is still unclear. It is possible that children with OCD show problems with nonverbal memory, which could include the hippocampus, as it is an important brain structure for memory processing. As such, the present study aimed to further understand the role of hippocampal abnormalities in children with OCD.
Vattimo and researchers (2021) examined the hippocampus and its subregions in a sample of 29 children and adolescents with OCD compared to 28 healthy children and adolescents. Their study used a new neuroimaging technique in hippocampal research to assess potential differences in brain structure in patients with OCD. Given previous research findings, they expected to find differences in hippocampal size in patients with OCD, compared to healthy children and adolescents. To assess differences in brain structure, the size of hippocampal subregions and three subregions (tail, body, and head) were calculated.
Vattimo and researchers (2021) found children and adolescents with OCD to show larger left and right hippocampi. Patients with OCD also showed larger bilateral hippocampal heads and left hippocampal body. The findings of this study suggest that larger hippocampal size could be an early predictor of OCD. Associations between OCD severity and hippocampus size were not found. The findings of this study contrasted from previous research in OCD, indicating the importance of further research in hippocampal differences and abnormalities in patients with OCD. Vattimo and researchers (2021) suggest that further research could help to understand the brain differences in children with OCD and how these differences can change over time.
Vattimo, E.F.Q., Christiano dos Santos, A., Hoexter, M.Q. Frudit, P., Miguel, E.C., Shavitt, R.G., & Batistuzzo, M.C. (2021). Higher volumes of hippocampal subfields in pediatric obsessive-compulsive disorder. Psyciatry Research: Neuroimaging, 307.
