Resting-State Functional Connectivity Alterations in Drug-Naive Adolescents with Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder

Abstract

Objective: It is known that there are alterations in functional brain networks in pediatric obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and new studies are needed to identify and conceptualize these alterations. This study aimed to investigate resting-state functional connectivity (Rs-FC) changes in adolescents with OCD.



Materials and Methods: We compared FC alterations in 15 drug-naive adolescents with OCD and 15 healthy controls (HC). Rs-FC networks were obtained with independent component analysis and logistic regression was used to identify the components that displayed significant group differentiation.



Results: Data were decomposed into 30 independent components, and 4 components corresponding to functional networks showed a significant difference between the 2 groups (sensitivity and specificity value was 86.7%): Posterior cingulate cortex (PCC), cerebellum, right frontoparietal network (R-FPN), and anterior DMN (aDMN). The expression scores of the PCC, cerebellum, and R-FPN were significantly lower in OCD, while the expression score of the aDMN was significantly higher in OCD as compared with HC. In addition, OCD patients demonstrated a significant anti-correlation between the R-FPN and lateral sensorimotor network, and a positive correlation between the PCC and parahippocampal gyri.



Conclusion: These findings indicate that alterations in FC networks incumbent on high mental processes are involved in the pathophysiology of OCD in adolescents.



Cite this article as: Kınay D, Ulasoglu Yildiz C, Kurt E, Eryurek K, Demiralp T, Coşkun M. Resting-state functional connectivity alterations in drug-naive adolescents with obsessive-compulsive disorder. Psychiatr Clin Psychopharmacol. 2021; 31: 40-47.