OCD Research Lab 2

11/04/2020

"People with obsessive-compulsive disorder, or OCD, report that the severity of their symptoms was reduced by about half within four hours of smoking cannabis, according to a Washington State University study."

https://news.wsu.edu/2020/10/20/cannabis-reduces-ocd-symptoms-half-short-term/

People with obsessive-compulsive disorder, or OCD, report that the severity of their symptoms was reduced by about half within four hours of smoking cannabis, according to a WSU study.

09/16/2020

"...there is compelling evidence to suggest that family members exacerbate OCD symptoms, and thus there is a strong rationale for integrating family members into the treatment of adult OCD."

https://www.physiciansweekly.com/family-and-couple-integrated-cognitive-behavioural-therapy-for-adults-with-ocd-a-meta-analysis/

Family and couple integrated cognitive-behavioural therapy for adults with OCD: A meta-analysis. Aug 24, 2020 Integrating family into the treatment of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is standard in pediatric populations; however, in adult populations, patients are typically treated independent o...

09/09/2020

"New research could improve the odds that people with obsessive-compulsive disorder will receive a therapy that really works for them – something that eludes more than a third of those who currently get OCD treatment."

https://labblog.uofmhealth.org/body-work/which-ocd-treatment-works-best-new-brain-study-could-lead-to-more-personalized-choices

For people with OCD, or obsessive compulsive disorder, a new brain imaging study may help personalize treatment including exposure therapy.

09/02/2020

"The pandemic has understandably intensified our need for good hygiene and safety precautions. But for some children and teens, these precautions have crossed the line from careful to compulsive."

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/09/02/well/family/children-teens-OCD-coronavirus.html

How parents can distinguish between hand-washing that is a reasonable reaction to a real threat and something more concerning.

08/26/2020

"Although not yet recognized in the scientific literature, the relationship between attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and body dysmorphic disorder (BDD) is worthy of attention. As a specialist in treating patients with BDD, as well as an ADHD expert, I have observed how ADHD can have a negative impact on body image."

https://iocdf.org/blog/2020/08/10/body-dysmorphic-disorder-and-attention-deficit-hyperactivity-disorder-adhd/

by Roberto Olivardia, PhD Although not yet recognized in the scientific literature, the relationship between attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and body dysmorphic disorder (BDD) is worthy of attention. As a specialist in treating patients with BDD, as well as an ADHD expert, I have obs...

08/19/2020

"Although social distancing has proven to be an effective way to curtail the coronavirus spread, for some with BDD, the isolation is triggering worsening symptoms, according to experts and people with the disorder."

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/body-dysmorphic-disorder-tk-n1235481

Stuck at home with mirrors and social media — two common triggers for people with BDD — many are struggling more than usual, Dr. Katharine Phillips said.

08/12/2020

"Having OCD does not equate to perfectionism, cleanliness, tidiness, or prudence — despite widespread media portrayal and cultural notions."

https://www.thedp.com/article/2020/08/obsessive-compulsive-disorder-ocd-is-not-a-personality-quirk

Having OCD does not equate to perfectionism, cleanliness, tidiness, or prudence — despite widespread media portrayal and cultural notions.

08/05/2020

"It was refreshing to hear so many people talk so openly and honestly about a disorder that, up until I was diagnosed a few years ago, I knew almost nothing about."

https://news.yahoo.com/5-takeaways-may-missed-international-113727249.html

As someone who lives with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), the writer describes five of the most helpful things she learned during the 2020 International OCD Foundation's Virtual Conference.

07/31/2020

"A new review from neuroethicist Eddie Jacobs, and published in the Journal of Psychedelic Studies, is suggesting psilocybin may have great potential as a treatment for obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)."

https://newatlas.com/science/psilocybin-ocd-psychedelic-therapy-obsessive-compulsive-disorder/

A new review from neuroethicist Eddie Jacobs, and published in the Journal of Psychedelic Studies, is suggesting psilocybin may have great potential as a treatment for obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). Jacobs, from King’s College London and the University of Oxford, says it is surprising how…

07/22/2020

“In a new analysis, a German research team looked at data from magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) studies and discovered that four different neuropsychiatric conditions — major depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) — share brain structural abnormalities.”

https://psychcentral.com/news/2020/07/09/brain-imaging-shows-shared-patterns-in-major-mental-disorders/157977.html

In a new analysis, a German research team looked at data from magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) studies and discovered that four different neuropsychiatric conditions -- major depression, bipolar

07/15/2020

“What this means is that so far, we have had to steer our boat toward an island which was shrouded in fog. Now, we can make out the island itself and perhaps even the pier, so we can aim for it with greater accuracy.”

https://psychcentral.com/news/2020/07/15/study-finds-deep-brain-stimulation-target-for-ocd/158093.html

A new German study has identified the optimal target for deep brain stimulation in the treatment of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). By accurately localizing electrode placement in the brains of

07/10/2020

"A large review of existing neuroscientific studies unravels the brain circuits and mechanisms that underpin obsessive-compulsive disorder. The researchers hope that the new findings will make existing therapies more effective, 'or guide new treatments'."

https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/323905 -may-boost-existing-treatments

07/01/2020

"Ketamine has brought fresh hope to a field desperate to find new treatments for hard-to-treat disorders such as severe OCD"

https://med.stanford.edu/news/all-news/2017/05/researcher-explores-hallucinogen-as-potential-ocd-treatment.html

A Stanford psychiatrist is researching the effects of ketamine on the brains of patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder, hoping to determine why, in studies, the drug has provided relief from symptoms.

06/24/2020

“OCD patients are resilient... we've also seen patients who are far along in their treatment during this time be able to manage really well and actually teach others how to live with uncertainty and with anxiety.”

https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/covid-19-worsens-obsessive-compulsive-disorder-but-therapy-offers-coping-skills1/

The pandemic has heightened OCD phobias such as fear of germs. Yet some patients say experience with anxiety, and treatment for it, gives them an advantage

06/17/2020

"Pediatric autoimmune neuropsychiatric disorders, or PANDAS, were first proposed in the 1990s. Thought to be triggered by streptococcal infections, they account for an unknown portion of youth OCD cases."

https://news.yale.edu/2020/06/16/yale-scientists-propose-explanation-baffling-form-childhood-ocd

Pediatric autoimmune neuropsychiatric disorders may be caused by antibodies that bind to particular brain cells called interneurons, a Yale study has found.

06/10/2020

“...'compulsive acts often feel as if they have stronger merit on the outcome of a situation, even when we have learned through past experiences that the outcome would likely be the same if these acts were not completed. In this sense, we are not trusting the past'.”

https://www.healthline.com/health-news/people-with-ocd-may-distrust-past-experiences -toward-the-future

Researchers say doubts about past experiences may propel people with OCD to repeat their behavior.

06/03/2020

"Because stigma is built and perpetuated by all of us through everyday actions, we can all play a part in dismantling it. Dismantling stigma, and improving the situation is within our control, at least in part".

https://www.psychologytoday.com/ca/blog/lifes-work/202006/2-behaviors-promote-mental-health-stigma-work

The next time a colleague talks to you about mental health, keep this in mind

05/27/2020

"The famous, but bizarre, 'rubber hand illusion' could help people who suffer from obsessive compulsive disorder overcome their condition without the often unbearable stress of exposure therapy, suggests new research"

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/01/200109090839.htm

The famous, but bizarre, 'rubber hand illusion' could help people who suffer from obsessive compulsive disorder overcome their condition without the often unbearable stress of exposure therapy, suggests new research.