Identifying Neural Markers of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder in Pediatric and at Risk Populations: A First Stage fMRI Study

Summary : Dalila Akkal, Ph.D. will use fMRI to study the neural markers of obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) in pediatric and at risk populations. She will specifically examine abnormalities in function and structure within neural circuits underlying response inhibition, as well as the extent to which these neural biomarkers are present in children with OCD and adolescents at high risk for the disorder. Her results may provide a better understanding of the etiology, neural substrates and cognitive profiles of OCD, which are poorly understood, especially in children.