RSS Feeds

Earth Science

Space Science

Life Science

Fields of Scientific Study

Nanotechnology

Cancer

Definitions of The Fields of Scientific Study

Obsessive-compulsive disorder: Cerebral electrostimulation unexpectedly effective in two patients

October 24, 2002

Thanks to a chance observation, Paris-based researchers (Inserm unit 289, theme: "Neurology and Experimental Therapy", and Clinical Investigation Center, Salp'™trie're Hospital) may have found a way of treating severe refractory forms of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) . The team led by Yves Agid and Luc Mallet were attempting to cure Parkinson`s disease in two patients who also had OCD. Against all expectations, both patients` obsessive-compulsive symptoms also considerably improved a few days after the operation. The treatment, reserved for the most severe forms of Parkinson`s disease, consists of stimulating brain regions involved in controlling movement, via fine electrodes inserted through the skull.

Several hundred patients with advanced-stage Parkinson`s disease have been treated worldwide by means of implanted electrodes that deliver high-frequency electrical impulses to a deep, pea-sized brain region called the subthalamic nucleus. This electrical stimulation reduces or even suppresses the tremor, rigidity and akinesia ("freezing") associated with Parkinson`s disease.

During the routine psychological examination that precedes this neurosurgical intervention, it was discovered that both patients suffered from OCD, since the ages of 10 and 18 years. In both cases the symptoms of OCD virtually disappeared after the operation, and the effect persisted during the 18 months of follow-up. [The parkinsonian motor disorders almost disappeared in one patient and partially improved in the other patient.]

Parkinson`s disease is considered as a mainly neurological disorder, whereas OCD, which affects about 2% of the population, is categorized as a psychiatric disorder. Patients with OCD are obsessed with cleanliness, order and symmetry, or are pestered by irrational doubts and fears. To reduce their anxiety, people with OCD go through rituals of tidying, washing, or checking and re-checking, for several hours a day. [OCD should not be confused with obsessive personality disorder, which is associated with meticulous, perfectionist behavior.] One-third of OCD patients are resistant to the usual treatment, based on behavioral therapy and antidepressants (serotonin reuptake inhibitors). The suspected involvement of the striato-pallido-thalamo-cortical pathway has led teams in several countries to experiment with psychosurgical treatments, in which the incriminated brain regions are destroyed. The results have been unimpressive, however, probably because the target region was not responsible for the disorders. Moreover, this type of operation is irreversible and therefore raises difficult ethical questions.
In contrast, electrode implantation can target very precise brain structures in a manner that is both reversible and non destructive. Another advantage is that the stimulatory signals can be adapted according to any changes in symptoms, over the course of many years.

The results obtained in these two cases must be interpreted with care, as both patients were being treated for Parkinson`s disease but also happened to have OCD. Indeed, there is no proof that the subthalamic nucleus is the culprit region in OCD, or that it is the therapeutic target of choice.

These preliminary results suggest that electrostimulation, aimed at modulating the activity of subthalamic nuclear pathways, acts not only on neurological disorders but also on psychiatric symptoms. By extension, they also indicate that this small brain structure is involved not only in motor behaviors but also in psychological functions.
It remains to be determined whether the use of this neurosurgical technique, which is known to be effective on certain neurological disorders, can be extended to the treatment of severe behavioral and psychiatric disorders that are refractory to current treatments.

Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale - Tolbiac (INSERM)

Science Research Departments

	Scientific Explorer's Mind Blowing Science Kit for Young Scientists by Scientific Explorer Mind blowing experiments to delight and educate young scientists! Erupt a color changing volcano. Mix up magic ooze with a mind of its own. Play with sand that never gets wet. Mix safe chemicals and watch colors change before your eyes. You'll amaze yourself and your friends as you explore the science behind these truly remarkable reactions.
	The Everything Kids' Science Experiments Book: Boil Ice, Float Water, Measure Gravity-Challenge the World Around You! (Everything Kids Series) by Tom Robinson (Author) Science has never been so easy - or so much fun! With The Everything Kids' Science Experiments Book, all you need to do is gather a few household items and you can recreate dozens of mind-blowing, kid-tested science experiments. High school science teach Tom Robinson shows you how to expand your scientific horizons - from biology to chemistry to physics to outer space. You'll discover answers to questions like: Is it possible to blow up a balloon without actually blowing into it? What is inside coins? Can a magnet ever be "turned off"? Do toilets always flush in the same direction? Can a swimming pool be cleaned with just the breath of one person? Get ready to enter the laboratory and learn how to conduct cool experiments, understand scientific terms...
	Scientific Explorer's Disgusting Science - A Kit for Studying the Science of Revolting Things by Scientific Explorer Grow your own friendly germs and fuzzy molds. Mix up a batch of coagulating fake blood. Even make a stinky intestine. learn the science behind unmentionable bodily functions while doing some truly NASTY Experiments. Ages 8+
	The Science Book: Everything You Need to Know About the World and How It Works (National Geographic) by National Geographic (Author), Marshall Brain (Foreword) A delight for the casual reader, yet so complete and wide-ranging that science buffs and students will welcome it, The Science Book encapsulates centuries of scientific thought in one richly illustrated volume. Natural phenomena, revolutionary inventions, and the most up-to-date investigations are explained in detailed text, and 2,000 vivid illustrationsincluding 3-D graphics and pictogramsmake the information even more accessible and amazing to discover. The Science Book offers both a general overview of topics for the browsing reader and more specific information for those seeking deeper insight into a particular subject. Six major sections, ranging from the universe and planet Earth to biology, chemistry, physics, and mathematics, encompass everything from microscopic life...
	Scientific Explorer's The Magic Science Wizard's Kit by Scientific Explorer Cast real smoke from your fingertips, make a wizard wand, and whip up color-changing potions in your test tube laboratory. Also included are laminated cards with wizard facts, an instruction booklet with 11 activities, lab equipment, and mysterious wizard powders that will mix together to mystify you!
	Magic School Bus Journey into the Human Body Science Kit by Young Scientist Club The Magic School Bus and Ms. Frizzle take Young Scientists on a wild ride into the human body with these breathtaking experiments. Young Scientists bend bones, make joints, map taste buds, expand lungs, build a stethoscope, measure lung capacities and heart rates, perform the iodine starch test, spin glitter, simulate synovial fluid, create a human body poster, and much, much more! This exciting kit includes a life-size poster with eight sheets of body part stickers. So put on your seat belts, students, and get ready to discover The Human Body!
	The Complete Book of Science, Grades 5-6 by School Specialty Publishing (Author) The Complete Book of Science for grades 5 to 6 teaches children important science skills! Children complete a variety of exercises that help them develop a number of skills in this 352 page workbook. Including a complete answer key this workbook features a user-friendly format perfect for browsing, research, and review. Over 4 million in print! The best-selling Complete Book series offers a full complement of instruction, activities, and information about a single topic or subject area. Containing over 30 titles and encompassing preschool to grade 8 this series helps children succeed in every subject area! ...
	Scientific Explorer's Tasty Science Chemistry in the Kitchen Kit by Scientific Explorer Who knew science could taste so good? With this kit, you’ll whip up cupcakes, cookies, candy, and more—all in the name of science! Learn what makes cakes rise, candy crystallize, and more real chemistry happen in the kitchen. Tasty Science is packed with ingredients, recipes, activity cards, a test tube laboratory, and lots more to explore the science of taste.
	What Is the World Made Of? All About Solids, Liquids, and Gases (Let's-Read-and-Find-Out Science, Stage 2) by Kathleen Weidner Zoehfeld (Author), Paul Meisel (Author) Did you ever walk through a wall? Drink a glass of blocks? Have you ever played with a lemonade doll, or put on milk for socks? This latest addition to the Let's-Read-and-Find-Out Science series introduces the youngest readers to an important science concept: the differences between solids, liquids, and gases. Any child who wants to know why he can't walk through a wall will enjoy Kathleen Zoehfeld's simple text and Paul Meisel's playful illustrations.
	Scientific Explorer's Spa Science Chemistry Kit by Scientific Explorer Whip your bath into a frothy fizzing sea of color and fragrance. Make colorful, fragrant bath gels, bath fizzers, spa lotion, bath balm, a face mask, and shampoo. Mix colors and fragrances to creat your own product line with secret and exclusive mixtures. Explore the science of gels, fragrance and fizzers. Mixing fragrances in the bathtub is a delight for both girls and boys. It’s one of the best ways to introduce them to the fun of science. Kids will spend hours in the tub with this kit mixing ingredients to make foaming frothing baths and smelling potions and conducting science experiments to see how scents affect our alertness, moods and memories. Comparing the responses of siblings, parents and friends makes this a shared adventure the entire family will enjoy