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Subcortical volume differs between pediatric, adult OCD

Recent findings indicated different patterns of subcortical abnormalities between pediatric and adult obsessive-compulsive disorder; specifically, the pallidum and hippocampus appeared significant in adults, while the thalamus was significant in children.

“Although findings suggest ongoing neuroplasticity, a lifespan approach has seldom been used to understand the variation in structural abnormalities in OCD. Studying the brain characteristics of illness during childhood may minimize the potentially confounding effects of neuroplastic changes associated with chronic symptoms and long-term treatment. Pediatric studies have been sparse and small, leaving the extant findings inconclusive and variable,” Premika S.W. Boedhoe, MSc, of VU University Medical Center, Amsterdam, and colleagues wrote.

To address these limitations, researchers analyzed T₁ images from 1,830 individuals with OCD and 1,759 controls. They conducted a meta-analysis on the mean of the left and right hemisphere measures of each subcortical structure and mega-analysis by combining the volumetric measurements from each site.

Meta-analysis indicated adults with OCD had significantly smaller hippocampal volumes and larger pallidum volumes, compared with adult controls. Both associations were stronger in medicated individuals vs. controls.

Children with OCD who were not medicated had significantly larger thalamic volumes, compared with pediatric controls.

Sample characteristics, such as mean age or scanning field strength, did not mediate any associations.

Mega-analysis indicated similar findings.

“Our findings suggest a different pattern of subcortical abnormalities in pediatric and adult OCD patients, which is in line with the developmental nature of OCD and neuroplastic changes during the course of the illness. The present study is a first step toward identifying robust brain volume alterations in OCD patients. An important next step is to apply similar methods in order to identify robust cortical imaging markers on cortical thickness and surface area measures associated with OCD,” the researchers concluded. – by Amanda Oldt

Disclosure: Boedhoe reports no relevant financial disclosures. Please see the full study for a list of all authors’ relevant financial disclosures.