How standard therapies change brain circuits in OCD
Modulation of the OCD neural network by conventional treatment
This project looks at how intensive exposure therapy and usual medications change brain activity and behavior in people with severe OCD.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Rochester NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Rochester, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11266126 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
If you join, you would be one of about 95 people with OCD followed through an ~8-week intensive treatment course. You would have brain scans (functional and structural MRI) and detailed symptom and behavior tests before, during, and after treatment. The team will use tasks like the PAAT and device-based measures to track avoidance and uncertainty while focusing on specific brain regions linked to OCD. Repeated clinical assessments will be combined with imaging to see how standard ERP therapy and medication relate to changes in the OCD neural network.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Adults with a diagnosis of OCD who are planning to receive intensive exposure and response prevention therapy and/or standard medication management and who can undergo multiple MRI scans and assessments are the best fit.
Not a fit: People without OCD, those unable or unwilling to have repeated MRI scans, or those not receiving intensive ERP or medication management would not benefit directly from participation.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could help clinicians personalize or improve treatment by showing which therapies change the brain circuits that drive OCD symptoms.
How similar studies have performed: Prior studies have shown that therapy and medications can change brain activity in OCD, but serial, intensive longitudinal mapping of the OCD network during an 8-week treatment course is relatively novel.
Where this research is happening
Rochester, United States
- University of Rochester — Rochester, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Baker, Justin T — University of Rochester
- Study coordinator: Baker, Justin T
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.