Neurobiology of Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder

• Reviews the definition of OCD, historical perspectives, prevalence, symptomatology, and comorbidities
• Explores genetic predispositions, heritability, and the brain regions implicated in OCD
• Examines the roles of serotonin, dopamine, glutamate, and other neurotransmitters in the neurochemistry of OCD
• Covers pharmacological treatments and psychotherapeutic and behavioral interventions, including CBT, ERP, and neuromodulation techniques
• Discusses current research challenges, ethical considerations, promising research avenues, and future directions in the neurobiological treatment of OCD

Dr. Sheth graduated Summa Cum Laude from Harvard University with a degree in Physics and Astronomy. He then entered the Medical Scientist Training Program at the UCLA School of Medicine, where he received both his MD and PhD degrees. Dr. Sheth trained in Neurological Surgery at the Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School.

Dr. Sheth specializes in the treatment of patients with Movement Disorders, Epilepsy, Brain Tumors, Trigeminal Neuralgia, Hydrocephalus, and certain Psychiatric Disorders. He enjoys bringing a personalized approach to each patient in order to arrive at an individually tailored treatment plan optimized for the patient and his or her family. He works with a world-class multi-disciplinary team of surgeons, neurologists, psychiatrists, radiologists, and others to provide compassionate, state-of-the-art care for his patients. Among the many techniques at his disposal are stereotactic neurosurgery, deep brain stimulation, ablative techniques, awake brain mapping, electrode recordings, computer-guided navigation, and microsurgery.

Dr. Sheth is also a neuroscientist, with PhD and post-doctoral training in neurophysiology. His research interests are centered on a desire to better understand brain function. Dr. Sheth’s research is motivated by the belief that if we can understand how the brain works at the level of individual neurons and circuits, we will be much better equipped to repair it. By understanding normal brain processes such as motor control, reward processing, and decision-making, we can understand disease processes such as movement disorders, addiction, and anxiety disorders. Dr. Sheth’s research has been funded by the NIH, the Harvard Catalyst, the MGH Cancer Center, and the American Association of Neurological Surgeons.

Wayne Goodman is an American psychiatrist and researcher who specializes in Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD). He is the principal developer, along with his colleagues, of the Yale-Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale (Y-BOCS). In 2016, Goodman was appointed the D.C and Irene Ellwood Professor and chair of the Menninger Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Baylor College of Medicine. He is also an adjunct professor in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at Rice University.