[18F]FDG PET study in obsessive-compulsive disorder. A clinical/metabolic correlation study after treatment.
BACKGROUND
We used [18F]FDG and PET in patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) to evaluate cerebral metabolic involvement before and after treatment with serotonin-specific reuptake inhibitors.


METHODS
In 11 untreated, drug-free adults, regional cerebral metabolic rate for glucose (rCMRglu) was compared with that of 15 age-matched normal controls.


RESULTS
rCMRglu values were significantly increased in the cingulate cortex, thalamus and pallidum/putamen complex. After treatment a significant improvement in obsessive-compulsive symptoms on the Y-BOC scale (t = 3.59, P < 0.01) was associated with a significant bilateral decrease of metabolism in the whole cingulate cortex (P < 0.001). Clinical and metabolic data were significantly intercorrelated (Kendall's tau = 0.65; P < 0.01).


CONCLUSIONS
These findings indicate that OCD is associated with functional hyperactivity of a selected neuronal network and that treatment to reduce symptoms may have a selective neuromodulatory effect on cingulate cortex.
Perani
D
D
Istituto di Neuroscienze and Bioimmagini CNR. c/o H San Raffaele, Milan, Italy.
Colombo
C
C
Bressi
S
S
Bonfanti
A
A
Grassi
F
F
Scarone
S
S
Bellodi
L
L
Smeraldi
E
E
Fazio
F
F
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001921:Brain / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D007839:Functional Laterality; D006179:Gyrus Cinguli / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009771:Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000378:metabolism*; D011699:Putamen / Q000378:metabolism; D017367:Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use; D013788:Thalamus / Q000378:metabolism; D014055:Tomography, Emission-Computed / Q000379:methods*
D017367:Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors