Serotonergic underpinnings of obsessive-compulsive disorder: A systematic review and meta-analysis of neuroimaging findings

Abstract

Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is a frequent and disabling condition, with many patients being treatment-resistant. Improved understanding of its neurobiology is vital for better therapies. Evidence is still conflicting regarding specific serotonergic-related dysfunctions in OCD. We systematically reviewed the literature to provide a quantitative assessment of the role of serotonin (5-HT) in patients with untreated OCD through imaging. We searched for neuroimaging studies investigating central 5-HT tonus in unmedicated patients with OCD, excluding studies comprising treated patients to prevent bias from antidepressant-induced changes in serotonergic tonus. We also conducted a meta-analysis using a homogeneous group of positron emission tomography and single photon emission computed tomography articles that compared 5-HT transporter (SERT) and 5-HT2A receptor (HT2AR) binding potential in different brain regions of patients with untreated OCD and healthy controls. The systematic review encompassed 18 articles, with 13 included in the subsequent meta-analysis. Risk of bias was assessed by a revised form of the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale. We provided standardized mean difference (SMD) values for SERT and 5-HT2AR binding potential measures across 15 different brain regions. Patients with OCD showed lower SERT binding potential in the brainstem (SMD = −1.13, 95% CI [−1.81 to −0.46]), midbrain (SMD = −0.54, 95% CI [−0.92 to −0.16]), and thalamus/hypothalamus regions (SMD = −0.58, 95% CI [−0.99 to −0.18]) with neglectable to moderate heterogeneity. By combining results from 2 decades of molecular imaging studies, we show that individuals with OCD exhibit lower SERT binding potential in specific brain regions, providing compelling evidence of a 5-HT system dysfunction. However, the exact mechanisms underlying this phenotype remain elusive. The limitations include heterogeneity across studies in populations, imaging techniques, and radiotracer usage.