Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), a chronic psychiatric illness, has a lifetime prevalence of 1–3%, affects approximately 50 million people worldwide, and can lead to significant impairment1–3. OCD is characterized by intrusive, recurrent thoughts (obsessions) and repetitive behaviors or mental acts (compulsions) that are often performed to reduce the anxiety associated with obsessions4. Even with current treatments, many patients continue to experience substantial symptoms and remission is rare5, underscoring the need for improved understanding of etiology.
