White matter microstructure in patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder.
BACKGROUND
Previous diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) studies in patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) have reported inconsistent findings, and it is not known whether observed findings are related to abnormalities in axonal structure or myelination.


METHODS
In this DTI study, we investigated fractional anisotropy, as well as axial and radial diffusivity, in 21 patients with OCD and 29 healthy controls.


RESULTS
We found decreased fractional anisotropy in the body of the corpus callosum in the OCD group, which was underpinned by increased radial diffusivity.


CONCLUSIONS
The cross-sectional design was the main limitation.


CONCLUSIONS
Our findings of increased radial diffusivity provide preliminary evidence for abnormal myelination in patients with OCD.
Melbourne Neuropsychiatry Centre, Department of Psychiatry, University of Melbourne and Melbourne Health, Victoria, Australia. emrebora@hotmail.com
Emre
E
Bora
Ben J
BJ
Harrison
Alex
A
Fornito
Luca
L
Cocchi
Jesus
J
Pujol
Leonardo F
LF
Fontenelle
Dennis
D
Velakoulis
Christos
C
Pantelis
Murat
M
Yücel
D000328:Adult; D016880:Anisotropy; D001921:Brain / Q000473:pathology; D003337:Corpus Callosum / Q000473:pathology; D056324:Diffusion Tensor Imaging / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009413:Nerve Fibers, Myelinated / Q000473:pathology*; D009771:Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder / Q000473:pathology*