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Structural and resting-state connection abnormalities of habenula in obsessive-compulsive disorder

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  22 March 2024

Qian Liu ,
Xiang Wang ,
Yanyuan Cao ,
Feng Gao ,
Jie Xia ,
Hongyu Du ,
Haiyan Liao ,
Changlian Tan ,
Jie Fan  and
Xiongzhao Zhu
Qian Liu
Affiliation:
Medical Psychological Center, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China Medical Psychological Institute of Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders, Changsha, Hunan, China
Xiang Wang
Affiliation:
Medical Psychological Center, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China Medical Psychological Institute of Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders, Changsha, Hunan, China
Yanyuan Cao
Affiliation:
Medical Psychological Center, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China Medical Psychological Institute of Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders, Changsha, Hunan, China
Feng Gao
Affiliation:
Medical Psychological Center, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China Medical Psychological Institute of Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders, Changsha, Hunan, China
Jie Xia
Affiliation:
Medical Psychological Center, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China Medical Psychological Institute of Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders, Changsha, Hunan, China
Hongyu Du
Affiliation:
Medical Psychological Center, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China Medical Psychological Institute of Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders, Changsha, Hunan, China
Haiyan Liao
Affiliation:
Department of Radiology, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China
Changlian Tan
Affiliation:
Department of Radiology, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China
Jie Fan*
Affiliation:
Medical Psychological Center, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China Medical Psychological Institute of Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders, Changsha, Hunan, China
Xiongzhao Zhu*
Affiliation:
Medical Psychological Center, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China Medical Psychological Institute of Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders, Changsha, Hunan, China
*
Corresponding author: Jie Fan; Email: fanjie1025@csu.edu.cn; Xiongzhao Zhu; Email: xiongzhaozhu@csu.edu.cn
Corresponding author: Jie Fan; Email: fanjie1025@csu.edu.cn; Xiongzhao Zhu; Email: xiongzhaozhu@csu.edu.cn
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Abstract

Background

Previous studies have suggested that the habenula (Hb) may be involved in the mechanism of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). However, the specific role of Hb in OCD remains unclear. This study aimed to explore the structural and functional abnormalities of Hb in OCD and their relationship with the clinical symptoms.

Methods

Eighty patients with OCD and 85 healthy controls (HCs) were recruited as the primary dataset. The grey matter volume, resting-state functional connectivity (FC), and effective connectivity (EC) of the Hb were calculated and compared between OCD group and HCs. An independent replication dataset was used to verify the stability and robustness of the results.

Results

Patients with OCD exhibited smaller Hb volume and increased FC of right Hb-left hippocampus than HCs. Dynamic causal model revealed an increased EC from left hippocampus to right Hb and a less inhibitory causal influence from the right Hb to left hippocampus in the OCD group compared to HCs. Similar results were found in the replication dataset.

Conclusions

This study suggested that abnormal structure of Hb and hippocampus-Hb connectivity may contribute to the pathological basis of OCD.

Keywords

effective connectivityfunctional connectivitygrey matter volumehabenulaobsessive-compulsive disorder

Information

Type
Original Article
Information
Psychological Medicine , Volume 54 , Issue 9 , July 2024 , pp. 2283 - 2290
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Copyright
Copyright © The Author(s), 2024. Published by Cambridge University Press

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Footnotes

*

These authors are co-corresponding authors.

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