Genetic Understanding of Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder and Related Disorders

Abstract

Abstract This chapter reviews current understanding of the genetic basis of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), focusing on recent findings from genome-wide association studies and other molecular genetic research. Several genetic variants have been found to be associated with OCD, including genes implicated in glutamate signaling in brain circuits relevant to OCD. However, OCD is probably genetically complex, with interactions between multiple genetic and environmental factors contributing to the risk, course, and severity of the disorder, as well as response to treatment. Large studies to identify common and rare genetic variants are underway, and new methods are being developed to integrate the findings from multiple interaction networks and to elucidate the genetic basis of OCD.