Human orbitofrontal neural activity is linked to obsessive-compulsive behavioral dynamics.

Abstract

Biomarkers of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) symptom dynamics and related behavior could advance personalized interventions. Aberrant activity in the orbitofrontal cortex (OFC) has been implicated in symptom exacerbation in OCD. We conducted an intracranial monitoring assay to identify high-resolution neurophysiologic correlates of OCD symptoms in the human OFC. We found that low-gamma power in the anteromedial OFC was consistently elevated during high symptom states in a symptom provocation task. Furthermore, electrical stimulation of the ventral basal ganglia that reduced OCD symptoms also reduced anteromedial OFC gamma power. These results link OFC gamma activity to moment-to-moment expression of OCD symptoms, providing mechanistic insights to guide therapeutic strategies such as deep brain stimulation.