Biological Explanations of OCD: Neuroanatomy

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Genetic factors can underpin a biological cause of OCD, one such suggestion is a structural abnormality in the central nervous system. 

There are specific areas in the brain that have been implicated as the origin of abnormality that results in OCD: the orbital frontal cortex, (OFC), caudate nuclei and thalamus. These regions form a circuit that converts sensory information into thoughts and actions. The process goes as follows: 

• Impulses in the OFC are passed to the caudate nuclei
• The caudate nuclei act as a filter and ignores any unnecessary or irrelevant impulses.
• Relevant impulses are passed to the thalamus where and individual attends to the impulse and carries out an action. 

Researchers believe that this…