Comparison of accidental findings of brain magnetic resonance imaging of patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder and healthy controls

Abnormalities in brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) have been reported in drug-naive and chronic patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). The Fazekas scale is a method used to categorize and grade the severity of white matter hyperintensities (WMH) in brain MRI. These lesions can be indicative of various neurological conditions, particularly small vessel disease or cerebrovascular pathology.

Brain MRIs of patients followed up with the diagnosis of OCD were retrospectively analyzed. 58 OCD (36 females, 22 males) and 58 healthy controls (HC) (30 females, 28 males) were included in the study. Age, gender, and brain MRI findings of the participants were recorded.

The mean ages of the OCD and HC groups were 33.4 ± 10.6 and 35.9 ± 9.3. There was no difference between the groups in terms of mean ages and gender distribution (p = 0.180 and p = 0.260, accordingly). Generalized cerebral atrophy was more common in patients with OCD than in HC (p = 0.008). Fazekas grade 1 was detected in 17.2% of the patients with OCD and 1.7% of HC. Accordingly, it was significantly more common in Fazekas grade 1 OCD patients (p = 0.002). Fazekas grade 2 was detected in only 2 patient with OCD. CVI was present in 20.7% of the patients with OCD and 1.7% of HC. There was a significant difference between the groups regarding CVI (p = 0.001). Ethmoidal thickening was more common in patients with OCD than in HC (p = 0.004). The YBOCS scores and ages of OCD patients with Fazekas grade 1 and 2 were significantly higher than those of patients with Fazekas grade 0. Likewise, the YBOCS scores and ages of OCD patients with generalized cerebral atrophy were significantly higher than those of patients without atrophy.

It is understood from the present study’s findings that CVI, a neurodevelopmental malformation, is more common in patients with OCD. Due to the potential relationship of this anomaly with neuronal migration, it would be appropriate to pay attention to OCD symptoms in individuals with CVI and to perform white matter examination on brain imaging. In future studies, Fazekas grade can be evaluated in drug-naive OCD patients, and data on the pre-disease period can be obtained.