Advances in the neurobiology of obsessive-compulsive disorder - Implications for conceptualizing putative obsessive-compulsive and spectrum disorders

Advances in the understanding of obsessive-compulsive disorder have encouraged research on several disorders with overlapping phenomenology and psychobiology. Nevertheless, the question of how best to conceptualize this putative obsessive-compulsive spectrum remains controversial. The neurochemistry, neuroanatomy, neurogenetics, neuroimmunology, and neuroethology of obsessive-compulsive disorder are reviewed, and this information is used to debate different approaches toward conceptualizing of an obsessive-compulsive spectrum and its neurobiology. Interestingly, several of these approaches indicate that obsessive-compulsive disorder and obsessive-compulsive spectrum disorders are characterized by compulsive and impulsive symptoms. It may be concluded that, until the underlying mechanisms of obsessive-compulsive disorder are better delineated, many different approaches to the obsessive-compulsive spectrum disorders and their neurobiology will remain useful in the clinical and research settings.