Cortical thickness alternation in obsessive-compulsive disorder patients compared with healthy controls

Brain Imaging Behav. 2025 May 7. doi: 10.1007/s11682-025-01010-z. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Neuropathological changes, such as those found in obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), often include cortical morphological abnormalities. Neuroimaging research has indicated that individuals with OCD typically exhibit altered cortical thickness (CTh) through surface-based morphometry (SBM) analyses. Yet, the findings have been hit or miss, with inconsistent results across various studies. We are employing meta-analytic techniques on comprehensive brain imaging data to examine variations in CTh in patients with OCD. This approach could refine spatial precision in detection, thereby sharpening our diagnostic capabilities for OCD and paving the way for more targeted therapeutic interventions. The seed-based d mapping (SDM) method was utilized to perform a vertex-wise, coordinate-based meta-analysis (CBMA) examining CTh differences across whole-brain studies in OCD patients relative to healthy controls (HCs). This analytical approach systematically compared structural neuroimaging findings between clinical and control groups. A comprehensive review of existing research uncovered 9 relevant studies (containing 9 distinct datasets) examining CTh in OCD. The analysis incorporated data from 518 OCD patients and 449 HCs. The findings revealed significant cortical thinning in the left anterior cingulate and paracingulate gyri, along with the right insula among OCD patients. Conversely, increased CTh was observed in several left-hemisphere regions, including the lingual gyrus, orbital portion of the inferior frontal gyrus, and dorsolateral aspect of the superior frontal gyrus. Moreover, the meta-regression results indicated an inverse relationship between age and the thickness of the right insula cortex in those suffering from OCD. However, the analysis was constrained by the small pool of studies and samples, as well as incomplete data from certain participants, which hindered a thorough subgroup examination. Additionally, the results of the meta-regression should be viewed with caution, as they are based on a relatively limited number of studies. The analysis did show changes in CTh in certain brain areas for OCD patients, which adds to our knowledge of the intricate workings of OCD-related brain abnormalities. These insights could potentially serve as valuable landmarks for diagnosing and treating OCD. Clinical trial number: Not applicable.

PMID:40332668 | DOI:10.1007/s11682-025-01010-z