Mysterious Cause of OCD May Have Just Been Revealed: Study
Scientists at the University of Cambridge have identified a chemical imbalance in the brains of patients suffering from obsessive-compulsive disorder.
OCD affects about 2 percent of the population, including over 2 million adults in the U.S., according to the Anxiety & Depression Association of America.
Symptoms include an obsession with cleanliness, aggressive impulses, or a need for symmetry.
“Common compulsions include checking, washing/cleaning, and arranging. There isn’t always a logical connection between obsessions and compulsions. Often people with OCD experience a variety of obsessions and compulsions,” the ADAA says.
“If left untreated, OCD can be chronic and can interfere with a person’s normal routine, schoolwork, job, family, or social activities.”
Professor Trevor Robbins of Cambridge’s Department of Psychology,
