As a minor limitation, we note that followed from a natural selection of study samples we split the data in adults (≥ 18 years) and children (< 18 years), which might not be the optimal cut-off related to the onset and evolution of OCD (46; 47) In addition, the pediatric sample represents a wide age range, including puberty. We did not have enough data on pubertal stage to take pubertal development into account. Given the role of hormonal influence on cortical structures this will be useful to pursue in future research.
