The current status of association studies in obsessive-compulsive disorder

Evidence from family studies suggests that genetic factors play a role in mediating obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), although the pattern of inheritance is unclear. Case-control association analyses have yielded inconsistent results, making identification of predisposing alleles difficult. Clinical subtypes of the disorder have been proposed and may be more closely related to a particular genetic substrate than the higher-order construct of OCD. Furthermore, it is likely that the behavioral manifestations of OCD are mediated by a broad range of interconnected neurotransmitter and signaling pathways. This article reviews the current status of genetic studies in OCD and considers future directions.