How is OCD related to the cingulate cortex?

Background: Hyperactivity of the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) in patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) has been shown to increase with symptom provocation and to normalize with treatment-induced symptom reduction.

What brain abnormality may be associated with OCD?

Research findings suggest that OCD symptoms may involve communication errors among different parts of the brain, including the orbitofrontal cortex, the anterior cingulate cortex (both in the front of the brain), the striatum, and the thalamus (deeper parts of the brain).

What is the cingulum bundle?

The cingulum bundle (CB) is a critical white matter fiber tract in the brain, which forms connections between the frontal lobe, parietal lobe and temporal lobe. In non-human primates, the CB is actually divided into distinct subcomponents on the basis of corticocortical connections.

Is OCD caused by a glutamate imbalance in the brain?

Abnormalities of the CSTC have been widely recognized to be associated with the development of OCD. Given its crucial role in the striatum, glutamate is likely to play a key role in the pathogenesis of OCD.

What is the role of the anterior cingulate cortex?

front-most portion of the cingulate cortex, the anterior cingulate cortex (or ACC) has been implicated in several complex cognitive functions, such as empathy, impulse control, emotion, and decision-making.

What is a cingulum in dentistry?

Traditionally, dental cingulate has been defined as the portion of enamel forming a convex protuberance in the cervical third of the palatal and lingual surfaces of anatomic crowns of upper and lower incisor and canine teeth.

How does glutamate affect OCD?

They found that individuals with OCD had higher levels of glutamate in the CSF than psychiatrically healthy controls. Since the CSF bathes the brain, this suggests that the brain is exposed to high levels of glutamate in patients with OCD.

How does serotonin affect glutamate?

A reciprocal interaction between serotonin and glutamate also occurs in frontal cortex, a brain area responsible for working memory and selective attention, thus playing a primary role in cognition.

What is the role of the cingulum in the treatment of OCD?

Notably, the cingulum bundle, being the major white matter tract connecting to this region, has been historically a target for the surgical treatment of intractable OCD.

What is the cingulum bundle in the brain?

The cingulum bundle is one of the most distinctive fibre tracts in the brain, forming a near-complete ring from the orbital frontal cortices, along the dorsal surface of the corpus callosum, then down the temporal lobe towards the pole (Fig.

What is the function of the anterior cingulum?

This, in addition to the fact that the cingulum is a central structure in learning to correct mistakes, indicates that the cingulum is involved in appraisal of pain and reinforcement of behavior that reduces it. Cingulotomy, the surgical severing of the anterior cingulum, is a form of psychosurgery used to treat depression and OCD .

What are the two parts of the cingulate cortex?

There are two primary parts of the cingulate cortex: the posterior cingulate cortex and the anterior cingulate cortex. The anterior is linked to emotion, especially apathy and depression.