Lateralisation abnormalities in obsessive-compulsive disorder: a line bisection study.
OBJECTIVE
Asymmetry in brain structure and function is implicated in the pathogenesis of psychiatric disorders. Although right hemisphere abnormality has been documented in obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), cerebral asymmetry is rarely examined. Therefore, in this study, we examined anomalous cerebral asymmetry in OCD patients using the line bisection task.


METHODS
A total of 30 patients with OCD and 30 matched healthy controls were examined using a reliable and valid two-hand line bisection (LBS) task. The comparative profiles of LBS scores were analysed using analysis of covariance.


RESULTS
Patients with OCD bisected significantly less number of lines to the left and had significant rightward deviation than controls, indicating right hemisphere dysfunction. The correlations observed in this study suggest that those with impaired laterality had more severe illness at baseline.


CONCLUSIONS
The findings of this study indicate abnormal cerebral lateralisation and right hemisphere dysfunction in OCD patients.
1Department of Psychiatry,National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences,Bangalore,Karnataka,India.
Naren Prahlada
NP
Rao
1Department of Psychiatry,National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences,Bangalore,Karnataka,India.
Rashmi
R
Arasappa
1Department of Psychiatry,National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences,Bangalore,Karnataka,India.
Nalini Narayana
NN
Reddy
1Department of Psychiatry,National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences,Bangalore,Karnataka,India.
Ganesan
G
Venkatasubramanian
1Department of Psychiatry,National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences,Bangalore,Karnataka,India.
Janardhan
J
Reddy Y C
D000328:Adult; D016880:Anisotropy; D001921:Brain / Q000002:abnormalities / Q000503:physiopathology; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D007839:Functional Laterality / Q000145:classification* / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D059906:Neuroimaging / Q000379:methods; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D009771:Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder / Q000503:physiopathology*
asymmetry; laterality; line bisection; obsessive–compulsive disorder; right hemisphere