The normalcy of neurosis: evolutionary origins of obsessive-compulsive disorder and related behaviors

Progress in Neuro-psychopharmacology & Biological Psychiatry
Diana L FeyginJames F Leckman

Abstract

One of the most curious questions plaguing subscribers of evolutionary theory is how natural selection's fine-tuned editing function could allow disease to persist. For evolutionary psychiatrists, the existence of psychopathology is thus perplexing. To illustrate a potential answer to one instance of this broad question, we examine the correlates of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) within our normal repertoire of thought and action. The evidence presents a picture of OCD as a dysregulation of normal behaviors and mental states throughout the course of human development. We speculate that such correspondence may be more than a coincidence and that OCD is a consequence of a dysregulation of the neural circuits that are crucially involved in threat detection and harm avoidance. These neural systems are also likely to underlie aspects of religious experience and ritual as well as the wonders of romantic and early parental love.

References

Jan 1, 1978·Behaviour Research and Therapy·S Rachman, P de Silva
Jan 1, 1988·Psychopathology·S Khanna, S M Channabasavanna
Sep 23, 1997·Behaviour Research and Therapy·S Rachman
Mar 4, 1998·The Australian and New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry·J Turbott
Oct 24, 1998·Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry·J F Leckman, L C Mayes
Jan 6, 1999·The British Journal of Medical Psychology·D R Wilson
Jan 30, 1999·Psychoneuroendocrinology·C S Carter
Jul 15, 1999·Psychological Medicine·D MarazzitiG B Cassano
Dec 3, 1999·American Journal of Medical Genetics·J P Alsobrook IID L Pauls
Feb 25, 2000·Biological Psychiatry·D J Stein
Apr 18, 2000·Archives of General Psychiatry·G NestadtR Hoehn-Saric
Dec 16, 2000·Neuroreport·A Bartels, S Zeki
Jan 10, 2002·Neuron·Joy M Greer, Mario R Capecchi
Apr 2, 2002·Biological Psychiatry·Jeffrey P LorberbaumMark S George
Jul 13, 2002·American Journal of Medical Genetics·Gregory L HannaEdwin H Cook
Dec 24, 2002·American Journal of Medical Genetics. Part B, Neuropsychiatric Genetics : the Official Publication of the International Society of Psychiatric Genetics·James F LeckmanUNKNOWN Tourette Syndrome Assocation International Consortium for Genetics
Sep 5, 2003·Physiology & Behavior·C Sue Carter
Sep 27, 2003·Biological Psychiatry·Nathan A ShapiraWayne K Goodman
Mar 10, 2004·NeuroImage·Andreas Bartels, Semir Zeki
Jun 1, 2004·The American Journal of Psychiatry·Sanjaya SaxenaLewis R Baxter
Jun 9, 2004·Archives of General Psychiatry·David Mataix-ColsMary L Phillips
Jun 19, 2004·Journal of Neural Transmission·J F LeckmanL C Mayes
Jul 24, 2004·American Journal of Human Genetics·Virginia L WillourGerald Nestadt
Jan 7, 2005·American Journal of Medical Genetics. Part B, Neuropsychiatric Genetics : the Official Publication of the International Society of Psychiatric Genetics·Gregory L HannaBrenda W Gillespie
Jan 29, 2005·The American Journal of Psychiatry·David Mataix-ColsJames F Leckman
Apr 12, 2005·Biological Psychiatry·Gregory L HannaMichelle Van Etten
May 3, 2005·The American Journal of Psychiatry·Rocco CrinoGavin Andrews
Feb 1, 1984·Journal of Youth and Adolescence·J A Shea, G R Adams

❮ Previous
Next ❯

Citations

Aug 14, 2015·Hormones and Behavior·Pilyoung KimJames E Swain
Oct 20, 2010·Neuroscience and Biobehavioral Reviews·Jennifer Hahn-HolbrookMartie G Haselton
Jan 3, 2016·European Neuropsychopharmacology : the Journal of the European College of Neuropsychopharmacology·Dan J SteinRandolph M Nesse
Mar 16, 2007·Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, and Allied Disciplines·James E SwainLane Strathearn
Jan 1, 2008·American Journal of Medical Genetics. Part B, Neuropsychiatric Genetics : the Official Publication of the International Society of Psychiatric Genetics·Carol A MathewsNicholas J Schork
Jun 9, 2007·Depression and Anxiety·Carol A MathewsMurray B Stein
Aug 25, 2010·The European Journal of Neuroscience·Anna DvorkinHenry Szechtman
Jul 21, 2010·Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry·Ellen J Hoffman, Matthew W State
Dec 5, 2012·International Journal of Psychiatry in Clinical Practice·Naomi A FinebergJules Angst
Aug 24, 2012·Orvosi hetilap·László Tringer
Dec 5, 2006·Current Opinion in Psychiatry·Santosh Kumar Chaturvedi, Dinesh Bhugra
Jul 15, 2015·Review of General Psychology : Journal of Division 1, of the American Psychological Association·Rafael Wlodarski, Robin I M Dunbar
May 10, 2020·Depression and Anxiety·Leonardo F Fontenelle, Euripedes C Miguel
Dec 13, 2019·Pharmacological Reviews·Henry SzechtmanKurt Leroy Hoffman
May 22, 2007·CNS Spectrums·James F LeckmanDavid Mataix-Cols
Aug 15, 2014·Revista brasileira de psiquiatria : orgão oficial da Associação Brasileira de Psiquiatria, Asociación Psiquiátrica de la América Latina·Fábio M CoelhoRicardo T Pinheiro
Mar 20, 2021·Archives of Sexual Behavior·Jaroslava Varella ValentovaMarco Antonio Correa Varella
Apr 20, 2021·Current Psychology·Hannelore L N TandtGilbert M D Lemmens

❮ Previous
Next ❯

Related Concepts

Related Feeds

Anxiety Disorders

Discover the latest research on anxiety disorders including agoraphobia, panic disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and post-traumatic stress disorder here.

Related Papers

Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders
Christopher J McDougle
Neuropsychopharmacologia Hungarica : a Magyar Pszichofarmakológiai Egyesület lapja = official journal of the Hungarian Association of Psychopharmacology
Xénia GondaDóra Perczel Forintos
Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
P H Thomsen, H U Mikkelsen
© 2021 Meta ULC. All rights reserved