Exposure-response prevention, executive function, and brain activation in participants with Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder

Background: Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) is a highly impairing disorder that has been linked to executive function (EF) deficits, particularly in the domains of response inhibition and emotion regulation. Both domains are associated with brain regions that have dysfunctional activation in OCD populations. Exposure-response prevention therapy (ERP) is the most effective and utilized treatment for OCD, but little is known about the relationship between ERP and EF-related brain activation. Methods: Inpatients in a residential OCD treatment facility (n=11) completed two MRI scans, one upon admission to the program and one after a month of treatment in the program. An emotional Stroop and a stop-signal task were administered during scans to investigate changes in brain activation pre- and post-treatment. In addition, a resting state was conducted during both scans. Clinician-administered questionnaires assessing OCD and depression severity were conducted at both visits. Results: Brain activation results did not show any significant changes in regions of interest related to the emotional Stroop or stop-signal task. Exploratory functional connectivity analysis of the resting state data using regions either associated with OCD symptoms (default mode network regions & amygdala) or general treatment response (anterior cingulate cortex & frontal orbital cortex) revealed alterations in functional connectivity pre- and post-treatment. Conclusions: Present results support the need for further exploration into neurological processes associated with OCD treatment and identify amygdala, anterior cingulate cortex, frontal orbital cortex, and default mode network regions as areas of interest in OCD functional connectivity. Results also provide further information about the relationship between EFs and treatment response.

Name thesis:degree_name

M.S.

Level thesis:degree_level

Thesis

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Psychology

Grantor

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Year dc:date

2022

Author dc:creator

• Perriello, Chris

Contributors dc:contributor

• Heller, Wendy
• Sadaghiani, Sepideh

• OCD
• ERP
• Executive Function
• Response Inhibition
• Emotion Regulation
• Resting State

Statement dc:rights

• Copyright 2022 Chris Perriello

Language dc:language

en, eng

Handle dc:identifier

https://hdl.handle.net/2142/115960

OAI record oai:identifier

https://www.ideals.illinois.edu/oai-pmh?verb=GetRecord&metadataPrefix=etdms&identifier=oai%3Awww.ideals.illinois.edu%3A2142%2F115960