Corelation between volume of orbito frontal cortex with P300 in obsessive-compulsive disorder

Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) is a psychiatric disorder, classified in anxiety disorders, whose properties of diagnosis were well-determined. Orbito-frontal cortex (OFC) is one of the brain structures that is investigated recently. In our this investigation, morphological alterations of OFC were investigated by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). On the other hand, the correlations between these probable alterations and the cognitive functions including the P300 amplitudes and latencies were examined by using Electromyographer (EMG) in OCD patientsThe study comprised 33 obsessive-compulsive disordered patients who had applied to Firat University Hospital Department of Psychiatry and Norology as out- or in- patients and had been diagnosed with obsessive compulsive disorder according to the criteria of DSM-IV and 33 healthy controls. The patients were administered the sociodemographical data form, Yale-Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale (Y-BOCS) and SCID. The volumetric measurement of total brain, gray matter, white matter, OFC was performed on patients and control group by using MRI, and also both groups was evaluated in regard to P300 amplitudes and latencies by EMG.In OCD patients, the OFC volumes in both sides were statistically significantly reduced compared to those of healthy controls. On the other hand, P300 amplitudes and latencies were reduced significantly in OCD patients compared to healthy controls. There were significant correlations between the Y-BOCS levels of right and left OCD volumes, P300 latencies and amplitudes. Between P300 latans, amplitude values and OFC volume were not defined any statictically significantly correlational relationship.In conclusion, when endogenous potantials related to event reflecting mental performance qualification is concidered with OFC, it has been defined pathophysiology and crinical course of OCD may be improved.