Neurobiology of Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (Paperback)

Neurobiology of Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder provides a comprehensive review of obsessive-compulsive disorder through a neurobiological lens, offering invaluable insights for researchers and clinicians alike. The book begins with a comprehensive introduction to OCD, detailing its definition, historical perspectives, prevalence, and symptomatology, alongside its comorbidities and associated disorders. Delving into the genetic and familial aspects, the book examines genetic predispositions, heritability, and significant genome-wide association studies. In addition, it addresses neuropsychological findings, cognitive dysfunctions, and implications for treatment, alongside neurodevelopmental factors, including early life stress, immune system dysregulation, and environmental risk factors.

Special attention is given to PANDAS/PANS as mechanisms of OCD pathogenesis and the insights gained from animal models. Subsequent chapters cover diagnosis, pharmacological treatments, and a range of psychotherapeutic and behavioral interventions, including CBT, ERP, and ACT, as well as neuromodulation techniques. Finally, the book presents neurobiology-informed treatment approaches, personalized medicine, and integrative strategies, concluding with discussions on current challenges, ethical considerations, and future research directions.

• 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. Eric Storch is McIngvale Presidential Endowed Chair & Professor at Baylor College of Medicine. Dr. Storch has received multiple grants from federal agencies for his research (i.e., NIH, CDC), is a Fulbright Scholar, and has published over 14 books and over 500 articles and chapters. He specializes in the nature and treatment of childhood and adult obsessive-compulsive disorder and related conditions, anxiety disorders, and anxiety among youth with autism.

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.