OCD - Obsessive Compulsive Disorder

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OCD or Obsessive Compulsive disorder is a type of disease where you see 2 components together at same time.
Obsessions are intrusive, recurrent, unwanted thoughts or ideas that are difficult to dismiss, despite of their disturbing nature.
Compulsions are repetitive behaviours, which can be mental or observational, that reduce anxiety by leading to obsession.

Women develop OCD more than Males, and generally occur from the age of puberty. Some cases have been reported of OCD manifesting in as early as 2 years of age. OCD is known to occur with other disorders as well, most commonly, OCD tends to co-exist with depression. 

Obsessions can be - Contamination, Symmetry, Aggressive, Sexual, Somatic, etc.
Compulsions can be - Checking, Washing, Confessing something, Symmetry, Counting, etc.

The factors that cause OCD is still unknown, But generally these factors are assumed to cause OCD - 

Genetic
Environmental
Psychological
Neurobiological

Neurobiological factors include - neuroimmunity, neurochemistry, neuroanatomy etc..

Majority of the studies done indicate the following structures to be involved - 

Anterior cingulate cortex
Orbitofrontal cortex
Thalamus
Basal ganglia

Some of the factors that cause these structures to be involved are - 
Injury.
Reduction in the Globus pallidus
Enlarged 3rd ventricle
Increased thalamic Choline concentration
Increased gray matter density in Thalamus

Serotonin is also linked to the functioning of OCD, where studies show that increase in Serotonin leads  to OCD.
But how Serotonin receptor inhibitors function for OCD treatment still remain unclear. 

Treatment of OCD is done by giving Antidepressants along with behavioral therapy.
If still not treated, sometimes neurosurgery is an option where they find the cause of OCD, i.e. which area is hyperfunctioning and then treat the area accordingly.

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