3 - (SYM 57) Harnessing Clinical Psychology, Neuroimaging, Genetics and Epigenetics to Understand Response to B4DT for OCD and Anxiety Disorders

The neurobiological aspects of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and anxiety disorders have been investigated for decades using neuroimaging and genetics, but relatively few studies have investigated how neuroimaging and genetics tracks or predicts response to psychological treatment. Importantly, large studies and integration across different biological levels are lacking. The Bergen Center for Brain Plasticity (BCBP) aims to bridge clinical psychology, functional and structural MRI, genetics, and epigenetics to study response to B4DT for OCD and anxiety disorders and uncover predictors of long-term relapse and recovery. Importantly, we recruit individuals with OCD or anxiety disorders who are receiving B4Dt as part of standard treatment in a public mental health setting, which may improve the relevancy of our findings to a larger context.

We are currently finishing the largest study of psychological therapy for OCD and anxiety disorders, and have collected saliva samples for genetic and epigenetic investigations from more than 2400 adult individuals with OCD or anxiety disorders, where 140 also have been measured using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and heart rate variability. We also recruited 50 demographically healthy controls with repeated MRI. This unique dataset will allow us to investigate how measures of autonomic nervous system, brain structure and function, and epigenetics, track and predict response to treatment over time. We will report and discuss some of the key findings from these biologically based research studies.

Finally, we are also collaborating with other organizations providing large-scale biological data to understand OCD, including Enhancing NeuroImaging Genetics through Meta Analysis (ENIGMA), Psychiatric Genomics Consortium (PGC), OCD Brain Imaging Consortium (OBIC), and the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) study. Together, we aim to bridge clinical psychology and neurobiological perspectives on OCD and anxiety disorders, resulting in understanding why some patients don’t recover and how we can improve treatment in the future.