OCD: Serotonergic Mechanisms

Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is typically treated with selective serotonin-reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), or both. The neurobiological effects of these treatments that are associated with symptom improvement, however, remain unclear. The neurotransmitter serotonin has been implicated in OCD pathology, including in brain circuits contained in cortico-striato-thalamic loops; yet, there is no consensus in the literature over a particular underlying serotonergic mechanism in OCD.