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Causes
By Mayo Clinic staffThe cause of obsessive-compulsive disorder isn't fully understood. Main theories include:
- Biology. Some evidence shows that OCD may be a result of changes in your body's own natural chemistry or brain functions. Some evidence also shows that OCD may have a genetic component, but specific genes have yet to be identified.
- Environment. Some researchers believe that OCD stems from behavior-related habits that you learned over time.
- Insufficient serotonin. An insufficient level of serotonin, one of your brain's chemical messengers, may contribute to obsessive-compulsive disorder. Some studies that compare images of the brains of people who have obsessive-compulsive disorder with the brains of those who don't show differences in brain activity patterns. In addition, people with obsessive-compulsive disorder who take medications that enhance the action of serotonin often have fewer OCD symptoms.
- Strep throat. Some studies suggest that some children develop OCD after infection with group A beta-hemolytic streptococcal pharyngitis — strep throat. However, these studies are controversial and more evidence is needed before strep throat can be blamed.
References
- Ciechanowski P, et al. Overview of obsessive-compulsive disorder. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed Oct. 1, 2008.
- Obsessive-compulsive disorder. In: Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders DSM-IV-TR. 4th ed. Arlington, Va.: American Psychiatric Association; 2000. http://www.psychiatryonline.com. Accessed
- Anxiety disorders. National Institute of Mental Health. http://www.nimh.nih.gov/publicat/anxiety.cfm#anx3. Accessed Nov. 11, 2008.
- Hales RE, et al, eds. Obsessive-compulsive disorder. In: The American Psychiatric PublishingTextbook of Psychiatry. 5th ed. Arlington, Va.: American Psychiatric Publishing Inc.; 2008. http://psychiatryonline.com/resourceToc.aspx?resourceID=5. Accessed Oct. 17, 2008.
- Practice guideline for the treatment of patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder. Arlington, Va.: American Psychiatric Association. http//www.psych.org. Accessed Oct. 31, 2008.
- Simpson H, et al. A randomized, controlled trial of cognitive-behavioral therapy for augmenting pharmacotherapy in obsessive-compulsive disorder. American Journal of Psychiatry. 2008;165:621.
- Hall-Flavin DK. (expert opinion). Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. Dec. 1, 2008.
- Anderson CF. (expert opinion). Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. Dec. 3, 2008.
