QIMR Berghofer researchers are a step closer to confirming the cause of OCD (obsessive-compulsive disorder), after discovering changes in how distinct brain regions communicate.
This important finding could guide the development of more targeted and effective treatments for this debilitating condition impacting thousands of Australians.
In their new study, the researchers confirmed that the disorder likely emerges from a complex imbalance affecting particular signalling pathways deep within the brain.
Senior researcher, Associate Professor Luca Cocchi says the information will be instrumental to QIMR Berghofer’s efforts to develop innovative brain stimulation treatments for OCD – a condition with limited treatment options and no known cure.
Lead researcher Dr Sebastien Naze said the participants with OCD were shown to have an imbalance affecting distinct pathways and regions of the brain, which are linked to emotion regulation and reward.
The QIMR Berghofer researchers will use the findings to inform clinical trials of a range of non-invasive and invasive brain stimulation therapies for OCD in 2023.
