Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is a common psychiatric disease that is marked by
recurring, anxiety-provoking thoughts (obsessions) accompanied by repetitive and time-
consuming behaviors (compulsions). Among the controversies in the OCD literature is the
issue of the origin of the disease and whether brain changes observed with modern imaging
techniques are the causes or results of OCD behaviors and thoughts. These issues remain
unresolved; however, significant strides have been made in understanding the illness from …