Testing the Causal Role of the Orbitofrontal Cortex in Human Compulsive Behavior: A Theta Burst Stimulation Study

Abstract

Compulsive behaviors (CBs) are core features of obsessive-compulsive spectrum disorders but appear across a broad spectrum of psychological conditions. Compulsions suggest a failure of goal-directed behavior to override habitual behaviors “stamped in” through repeated practice and short-term distress reduction. Animal models provide compelling evidence for a possible causal role of the orbitofrontal cortex (OFC) in CBs, but human studies have largely been limited by a correlational design (e.g., cross-sectional comparisons).