- 2025-09-24
- Psychiatry and clinical neurosciences 79(12)
- Fei Zhu
- Qiao Wen
- Senhao Liu
- Ziyang Gao
- Bo Tao
- Na Hu
- Qiannan Zhao
- Wei Yu
- Yuan Xiao
- Su Lui
Study Design
- Type
- Meta-Analysis
- Sample size
- n = 1,270
- Population
- OCD patients (n=1270) and healthy controls (n=1186)
- Methods
- Systematic search of PubMed, Web of Science, and Embase; 55 original studies; Hedge's g with random effects model; meta-regression and subgroup analyses
Aim
Changes in neurometabolites are believed to have a significant impact on the underlying mechanisms of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). However, current findings regarding the neurometabolite levels of OCD patients remain inconsistent. To address this issue, we conducted a comprehensive meta-analysis of proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy studies to investigate the differences in neurometabolite levels in OCD patients relative to healthy controls (HCs).Methods
A systematic search of PubMed, Web of Science, and Embase included 55 original studies that compared the levels of eight in vivo neurometabolites in OCD patients (n = 1270) and HCs (n = 1186). Hedge's g with random effects model was employed to calculate the effect sizes for the between-group differences in neurometabolite levels. Meta-regression and subgroup analyses were conducted to examine confounding effects.Results
Compared to HCs, OCD patients exhibited decreased N-acetylaspartate compounds (NAA) in the striatum, as well as elevated choline-containing compounds (Cho) levels in the thalamus. The symptom severity of OCD patients showed positive associations with Cho in the striatum. Subgroup analyses showed that decreased striatal NAA in OCD patients remained evident in both the medicated and 1.5T subgroups. Additionally, significantly increased thalamic Cho in OCD patients was also observed in the unmedicated, adult, 3.0T, and non-comorbid subgroups.Conclusion
This study reveals neurometabolic dysregulation within the cortico-striatal-thalamo-cortical circuits in OCD, offering integrated insights into its underlying neurobiological mechanisms.