Fronto-striatal structures related with model-based control as an endophenotype for obsessive–compulsive disorder

Recent theories suggest a shift from model-based goal-directed to model-free habitual decision-making in obsessive–compulsive disorder (OCD). However, it is yet unclear, whether this shift in the decision process is heritable. We investigated 32 patients with OCD, 27 unaffected siblings (SIBs) and 3...

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Published in:Scientific reports 2021-06, Vol.11 (1), p.11951-11951, Article 11951
Main Authors: Kasal, Meltem I., Besiroglu, Lutfullah, Zorlu, Nabi, Dikmeer, Nur, Bilge, Aslıhan, Durmaz, Ercan, Polat, Serap, Gelal, Fazil, Rapp, Michael, Heinz, Andreas, Sebold, Miriam
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
631/378/2649
692/699/476/4032
Behavior
Computer applications
Decision making
Education
Health care
Humanities and Social Sciences
multidisciplinary
Neostriatum
Neurobiology
Neuroimaging
Obsessive compulsive disorder
Prefrontal cortex
Putamen
Reaction time task
Science
Science (multidisciplinary)
Siblings
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Summary:Recent theories suggest a shift from model-based goal-directed to model-free habitual decision-making in obsessive–compulsive disorder (OCD). However, it is yet unclear, whether this shift in the decision process is heritable. We investigated 32 patients with OCD, 27 unaffected siblings (SIBs) and 31 healthy controls (HCs) using the two-step task. We computed behavioral and reaction time analyses and fitted a computational model to assess the balance between model-based and model-free control. 80 subjects also underwent structural imaging. We observed a significant ordered effect for the shift towards model-free control in the direction OCD > SIB > HC in our computational parameter of interest. However less directed analyses revealed no shift towards model-free control in OCDs. Nonetheless, we found evidence for reduced model-based control in OCDs compared to HCs and SIBs via 2nd stage reaction time analyses. In this measure SIBs also showed higher levels of model-based control than HCs. Across all subjects these effects were associated with the surface area of the left medial/right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex. Moreover, correlations between bilateral putamen/right caudate volumes and these effects varied as a function of group: they were negative in SIBs and OCDs, but positive in HCs. Associations between fronto-striatal regions and model-based reaction time effects point to a potential endophenotype for OCD.
ISSN:2045-2322
2045-2322
DOI:10.1038/s41598-021-91179-2