A longitudinal VBM study in paediatric obsessive–compulsive disorder at 2-year follow-up after cognitive behavioural therapy

Abstract

Objectives. To identify neurodevelopmental differences in regional brain volume between medication-free paediatric obsessive–compulsive disorder (OCD) patients and controls at 2-year follow-up after cognitive behavioural therapy. Methods. We assessed 17 medication-free paediatric OCD patients (mean age 13.8 years; SD = 2.8; range 8.2–19.0) and 20 controls, matched on age and gender, with T1-weighted MR scans in a repeated measures design at three time points with intervals of 6 months and 2 years. Voxel based morphometry (VBM) was used to test whole brain voxel-wise for the effects of diagnosis and time on regional grey matter (GM) and white matter volumes. Results. GM volume of the orbitofrontal cortex showed a group × time interaction effect, driven by an increase of GM volume over the whole time period in OCD patients and a decrease in controls. When splitting the groups in two age groups (8–12 and 13–19 years) this interaction effect was only seen in the youngest age group. Conclusions. Neuroimaging findings in paediatric OCD after 6 months of CBT in the GM volume of the orbital frontal cortex are still present at 2-year follow-up.

Key words::

• Obsessive–compulsive disorder
• children
• brain imaging
• brain development
• orbital frontal cortex

Acknowledgements

This study was supported by the University of Amsterdam and by Amsterdam Brain Imaging Platform (ABIP).

Statement of Interest

None to declare.