Although it was previously thought that compulsive behavior is the result of a "habit cycle" that suppresses self-control, a ...

For years, compulsive behaviors have been viewed as bad habits stuck on autopilot. But new research in rats found the ...

New research suggests that compulsive behavior may be less about willpower failure and more about inflammation quietly disrupting the brain’s reward and habit circuits. While the idea of “hidden brain ...

A specific pattern of brain activity in a frontal brain region is linked to compulsive behaviors like excessive hand washing, chronic hair-pulling, and skin-picking in people with obsessive compulsive ...

Researchers find that OCD brains recruit more regions to perform simple sequences, revealing new targets for TMS therapy and symptom assessment.

For years, scientists have believed that compulsive behaviors happen when people become trapped in a "habit loop" that overrides self-control. But new ...

A new study revealed that certain brain regions are more active in people with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) during cognitively demanding tasks. The findings could help inform new ways in which ...

The Mayo Clinic defines obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) as: “Unreasonable thoughts and fears (obsessions) that lead you to do repetitive behaviors (compulsions).” OCD is a form of anxiety disorder ...