S.07.03 RIC-3, an effector of nAChR activity: structure, function, quantity, and regulation (original) (raw)

2006, European Neuropsychopharmacology

Obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) is a chronic psychiatric disorder characterized by recurrent persistent thoughts (obsessions) and/or repetitive compulsory behaviors (compulsions). Over the past two decades, it has been suggested that OCD might be related to the functioning of brain serotonin systems, mainly because of the anti-obsessional efficacy of selective serotonin inhibitors (SRIs). In recent years, there is growing evidence that the dopamine system may be involved in OCD as well. In this article, the preclinical and clinical evidence supporting the role for dopamine in the pathophysiology of OCD will be reviewed. Evidence for the involvement of dopamine in OCD may be obtained by preclinical data from (1) animal models, and by clinical data from (2) measurements of dopamine and metabolite concentrations, (3) pharmacochallenge and (4) pharmacotherapeutic studies, (5) neuro-imaging, and (6) genetic association studies. Despite some inconsistencies, in general, the results from most studies hint to an association of OCD with increased midbrain dopamine transmission. The hypothesis of increased dopamine transmission in the basal ganglia is in agreement with various working hypotheses of the pathophysiology of OCD such as the hyperactive cortico-striatal model, the amygdalocentric model, or the model of behavioural addiction in OCD. To date, there is sufficient preclinical and clinical evidence that implicates the dopamine system in OCD, but more studies are warranted to understand the function of dopamine in the pathophysiology of OCD.

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