title: The somatic marker affecting decisional processes in obsessive-compulsive disorder.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) demonstrate impairment in decisional processes in which both cognition and emotion play a crucial role.
  
  
  METHODS
  We investigated the connection between decision-making performances and choice-related skin conductance responses (SCRs), to identify a somatic marker impairment affecting decisional processes in these patients. We explored SCRs during the Iowa Gambling Task in 20 OCD and 18 control, measuring anticipatory and posticipatory psychophysiological reactions according to card choices and to the outcomes of each selection.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Most patients exhibited weaker SCRs compared to HC, although there weren't substantial differences in magnitude between the two groups. In contrast with HC, patients with OCD showed no significant differences of SCRs activation according to card selections; they chose cards from neither favourable nor unfavourable decks.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The main finding of the study were the evidence of a dysfunctional biological marker in OCD subjects, affecting decision-making process. Dysfunctional patterns of SCRs could partially explain OCDs' impairment in this ability. Decision-making deficits in OCDs could be influenced in part by the lack of somatic differences in discriminating between advantageous and disadvantageous behaviour. These findings could lead to a more complete understanding of OCD.
authors: Department of Clinical Neurosciences, Villa San Benedetto Hospital, Hermanas Hospitalarias, Albese con Cassano, Italy. p.cavedini@paolocavedini.com
authors: Paolo
authors: P
authors: Cavedini
authors: Claudia
authors: C
authors: Zorzi
authors: Clementina
authors: C
authors: Baraldi
authors: Sara
authors: S
authors: Patrini
authors: Giuliana
authors: G
authors: Salomoni
authors: Laura
authors: L
authors: Bellodi
authors: Rafael C
authors: RC
authors: Freire
authors: Giampaolo
authors: G
authors: Perna
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003657:Decision Making / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D005712:Galvanic Skin Response / Q000502:physiology*; D005715:Gambling / Q000523:psychology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D009771:Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000523:psychology; D012201:Reward