[The neurobiology of obsessive-compulsive disorder: new findings from functional magnetic resonance imaging (II)].
BACKGROUND
In recent years, neuroscience has shown a growing interest in applying its methods to furthering the knowledge of psychiatric disorders, and one of the fundamental tools used to do so are neuroimaging techniques. Yet, in general, few studies have been conducted in which functional magnetic resonance has been applied in this field and findings are sometimes contradictory.


OBJECTIVE
In this study we review the specialised bibliography and present a critical discussion on the scientific literature published to date on the application of functional magnetic resonance and diffusion tensor imaging to one of the most widely studied disorders, from a neurobiological point of view, namely, obsessive-compulsive disorder.


METHODS
The study reviews the articles on the use of functional magnetic resonance imaging, as well as those dealing with neural connectivity, that have been indexed in the most commonly used medical databases on the topic since 1996.


CONCLUSIONS
Most studies suggest that the prefrontal cortex (orbitofrontal and cingulate), the basal ganglia and the thalamus are involved in the pathogenesis of obsessive-compulsive disorder. Likewise, alterations in the white matter that affect neural connectivity have also been found. The contributions made by neuroimaging and, more specifically, by functional magnetic resonance imaging are and will undoubtedly continue to be a particularly interesting tool for explaining the aetiology of this disorder.
Pena-Garijo
Josep
J
Departamento de Psicología Básica, Clínica y Psicobiología, Facultad de Ciencias Humanas y Sociales, Universitat Jaume I, Castellón de la Plana, España. jpena@psb.uji.es
Ruipérez-Rodríguez
M Angeles
MA
Barros-Loscertales
Alfonso
A
D001921:Brain / Q000503:physiopathology; D003071:Cognition; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D009771:Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology