Human orbitofrontal neural activity is linked to obsessive-compulsive behavioral dynamics

Cell 2026 Open access

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Authors: Young‐Hoon Nho, Liming Qiu, Robert Seilheimer, Gustavo Campos, Andrew Chang, Z Wang, John F. Magnotti, Michael S. Beauchamp, Daniel A.N. Barbosa, Andreas Horn, Nolan Williams, Lily A. Brown
+7 more Taneeta M. Ganguly, Mario A. Cristancho, Bijan Pesaran, Desmond J. Oathes, Kai Miller, Katherine W. Scangos, Casey H. Halpern
DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2025.12.037
Cited by: 5
References: 40

Abstract

Biomarkers of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) symptom dynamics and related behavior could advance personalized interventions. Aberrant activity in the orbitofrontal cortex (OFC) has been implicated in symptom exacerbation in OCD. We conducted an intracranial monitoring assay to identify high-resolution neurophysiologic correlates of OCD symptoms in the human OFC. We found that low-gamma power in the anteromedial OFC was consistently elevated during high symptom states in a symptom provocation task. Furthermore, electrical stimulation of the ventral basal ganglia that reduced OCD symptoms also reduced anteromedial OFC gamma power. These results link OFC gamma activity to moment-to-moment expression of OCD symptoms, providing mechanistic insights to guide therapeutic strategies such as deep brain stimulation.

Fields of Study & Subjects

Obsessive-Compulsive Spectrum Disorders Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation Studies Neurotransmitter Receptor Influence on Behavior

Publication details

Journal / source
Cell
Publisher
Elsevier BV
Volume
189
Issue
3
Pages
739–747.e8
Publication date
29 January 2026
Language
EN