Tuesday, June 11, 2013

Pinpointing OCD in Mice



OCD, which consists of obsessions and repetitive behavior, is a popular condition among many people throughout the world. Psychiatrists such as Joseph Franzetti, MD, see patients with this disorder often. Recently, researchers at Columbia University have been able to pinpoint the specific parts of the brain in a mouse that can be stimulated to enact OCD.

OCD affects about two percent of the world population. With repeated stimulation of a specific part of the brain in a mouse, researchers found that this produces progressive repeated behavior. By using this method to target the OCD behaviors, researchers hope to be able to come up with ways to prevent the characteristics of OCD.

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