The Conversation: Researchers Uncovered Hundreds of Genes Linked to OCD, Providing Clues About How It Changes the Brain

UF researchers Carol Mathews contribute to a groundbreaking international study uncovering genetic factors linked to Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, paving the way for enhanced understanding and treatment of the condition.

Obsessive compulsive disorder has many unknowns, including what causes it, why symptoms can differ so much between people, how medication and therapy for it actually work, and why treatment is effective for some people and not for others. In our newly published research, my colleagues and I made a step toward unraveling some of these mysteries by shedding light on the genetics of OCD.

Obsessive compulsive disorder is one of the most impairing illnesses worldwide. Affecting about 1 in 50 people globally, OCD is among the top 10 causes of years lost to disability, leading to harmful effects on a person’s ability to work and function in the world and on their family.

Read more about The Conversation: Researchers Uncovered Hundreds of Genes Linked to OCD, Providing Clues About How It Changes the Brain.