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Van den Heuvel

6 important questions on Van den Heuvel

Why did they study their siblings?

To find out what environmental factors were involved and ifthe siblings scored much lower of higher in comparasion. It is hypothesised that siblings are overcompensating for thir OCD siblings.

What can you say about OCD brain tissue over time?

That OCD patients show an increase in right putamen/insula and the orbitory cortex. But overall see a decrease in white and gray matter. So the parts that are not used are drecreased.

What is the goal when starting OCD behaviour

the goal of the repetitive behaviour (compulsion) is to feel disstressed, But over time it becomes a habit.

How to cure OCD?

By balancing the direct and indirect pathway. The direct pathway is used when we ask them to stop, the indirect pathway when they want to stop themselves.

In OCD there is sentisitation happening, why?

Because there is more activation in the amygdala than normal.

What is the connectivity between prefrontal and amygdala?

for learning you use those two parts of the brain, but in siblings of OCD there is a hyperactivation of these two parts, while in OCD there is less activation.