Abstract
Background: Neurobiologic abnormalities in the thalamus have been implicated in the
pathophysiology of obsessive–compulsive disorder. We recently reported increased thalamic
volume in treatment-naive pediatric obsessive–compulsive disorder patients versus
case-matched healthy comparison subjects that decreased to levels comparable to control
subjects after effective paroxetine therapy. To our knowledge, no prior study has
measured neuroanatomic changes in the thalamus of obsessive–compulsive disorder patients
near illness onset before and after cognitive behavioral therapy.
Methods: Volumetric magnetic resonance imaging studies were conducted in 11 psychotropic
drug-naive 8–17-year-old children with obsessive–compulsive disorder before and after
12 weeks of effective cognitive behavioral therapy monotherapy (≥30% reduction in
obsessive–compulsive disorder symptom severity).
Results: No significant change in thalamic volume was observed in obsessive–compulsive
disorder patients before and after cognitive behavioral therapy.
Conclusions: Our findings suggest that reduction in thalamic volume after paroxetine
therapy may be specific to paroxetine treatment and not the result of a general treatment
response or spontaneous improvement. These results are preliminary in view of the
small sample studied.
Keywords
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Article info
Publication history
Accepted:
April 1,
2000
Received in revised form:
March 20,
2000
Received:
January 8,
2000
Identification
Copyright
© 2000 Society of Biological Psychiatry. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
