Topic: thalamo-hypothalamic pathway

Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), a disabling and notoriously treatment-resistant neuropsychiatric disorder that affects 2-3% of the general population, is characterized by reoccurring, intrusive thoughts (obsessions) and repetitive, ritualistic behaviors (compulsions). Although OCD has long been associated with dysfunction within the cortico-striato-thalamic-cortical circuits, the thalamic role in OCD pathogenesis is highly understudied in the current literature. Here we identified a rat thalamic nucleus – the reuniens (NRe) – that mediates persistent, compulsive self-grooming behaviors. O