Pathophysiological Decision-making In Children With Obsessive-compulsive Disorder And Tic Disorders: Action-selection And Imaging Correlates
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$124,676.00
Summary
Why is it that a person with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) has trouble deciding whether or not to wash their hands? We scanned the brains of teenagers with OCD while they made decisions and found that they had difficulty using cues in their environment to direct choices. This may be an early vulnerability for the development of the disorder that could guide prevention. We plan to check if that difficulty is present in younger children with OCD and their family members.
An inability to resist a temptation or repeated failures of self-regulation can lead to 'impulsive' and 'compulsive' behaviours that relate to a host of personal and social problems (eg., excessive eating, gambling, and substance use). Despite this, very little research has studied the neural and psychological underpinnings of these behaviours. My research will take advantage of recent innovations and approaches to fill this void and have implications for diagnosis and treatment.