Animal Models of Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder

Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is a psychological condition with multifaceted etiology, characterized by obsessions and compulsions. It is defined by the presence of substantial distress which interferes with an individual’s ability to function (Lang et al., 2009). OCD encompasses a broad range of symptoms, including symmetry, contamination, hoarding, impulsivity, religious, and sexual obsessions, followed by a set of irresistible ritualistic compulsive behaviors performed to relieve the anxiety associated with the obsessions (Leckman et al., 1997). In any individual, the primary symptoms associated with OCD can alter over time. Disorders like autism, Parkinson’s disease, Tourette’s syndrome, obsessive-compulsive personality disorder, body dysmorphic disorder, and trichotillomania have symptoms similar to OCD (Stein, 2002). The presence of these overlapping sets of symptoms hints directly at an interpretation that OCD may be influenced by specific neural circuits.