Brain structural correlates of sensory phenomena in patients with obsessive–compulsive disorder
Open accessAbstract
Background: Sensory phenomena (SP) are uncomfortable feelings, including bodily sensations, sense of inner tension, “just-right” perceptions, feelings of incompleteness, or “urge-only” phenomena, which have been described to precede, trigger or accompany repetitive behaviours in individuals with obsessive–compulsive disorder (OCD). Sensory phenomena are also observed in individuals with tic disorders, and previous research suggests that sensorimotor cortex abnormalities underpin the presence of SP in such patients. However, to our knowledge, no studies have assessed the neural correlates of SP in patients with OCD. Methods: We assessed the presence of SP using the University of São Paulo Sensory Phenomena Scale in patients with OCD and healthy controls from specialized units in São Paulo, Brazil, and Barcelona, Spain. All participants underwent a structural magnetic resonance examination, and brain images were examined using DARTEL voxel-based morphometry. We evaluated grey matter volume differences between patients with and without SP and healthy controls within the sensorimotor and premotor cortices. Results: We included 106 patients with OCD and 87 controls in our study. Patients with SP (67% of the sample) showed grey matter volume increases in the left sensorimotor cortex in comparison to patients without SP and bilateral sensorimotor cortex grey matter volume increases in comparison to controls. No differences were observed between patients without SP and controls. Limitations: Most patients were medicated. Participant recruitment and image acquisition were performed in 2 different centres. Conclusion: We have identified a structural correlate of SP in patients with OCD involving grey matter volume increases within the sensorimotor cortex; this finding is in agreement with those of tic disorder studies showing that abnormal activity and volume increases within this region are associated with the urges preceding tic onset.
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SP in obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) involves the sensorimotor cortex, mid-posterior insula, somatosensory area, orbitofrontal cortex (OFC) and dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC).
“Several neuroimaging studies have shown that SP in OCD involves the sensorimotor cortex, mid‐posterior insula, somatosensory area, orbitofrontal cortex (OFC) and dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) (Brown et al., 2019; Subira et al., 2015).”
From Differences in response inhibition between medication-free patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder with and without sensory phenomena (2026) · cites this paper as Subira et al., 2015
The Results (p. 1) associate sensory phenomena in OCD with increased sensorimotor-cortex grey matter volume, and the Discussion (p. 7) describes the affected region in somatosensory terms. The paper does not identify the mid-posterior insula or DLPFC as correlates of sensory phenomena in OCD; its mention of the OFC (Discussion, p. 7) concerns tic severity in Tourette syndrome, not sensory phenomena in OCD. (LLM, conf=0.90)
Experimental — accuracy not yet measuredIncreased grey matter volume in the left sensorimotor cortex is found in the OCD + SP group compared to the OCD-noSP group.
“A structural neuroimaging study using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) found increased grey matter volume in the left sensorimotor cortex in the OCD + SP group compared to that in the OCD‐noSP group (Subira et al., 2015).”
From Differences in response inhibition between medication-free patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder with and without sensory phenomena (2026) · cites this paper as Subira et al., 2015
Sensorimotor volume increases were not correlated with sensory phenomena severity, but group differences remained after controlling for medication and comorbid conditions including Tourette syndrome.
“Sensorimotor volume increases were not correlated with SP severity, but group differences remained after controlling for medication and comorbid conditions, including TS.”
From Toward a neurocircuit-based taxonomy to guide treatment of obsessive-compulsive disorder (2021) · cites this paper as [86]
OCD patients with sensory phenomena, but not those without, had larger volumes of posterior putamen, pallidum, and thalamus than controls.
“OCD+SP (but not OCD-SP) had larger volumes of posterior putamen, pallidum, and thalamus than controls.”
From Toward a neurocircuit-based taxonomy to guide treatment of obsessive-compulsive disorder (2021) · cites this paper as [86]
Individuals with OCD and sensory phenomena have larger gray matter volumes in a sensorimotor area including postcentral gyrus, posterior precentral gyrus, and paracentral lobule than those with OCD without sensory phenomena and non-psychiatric controls.
“Subirà and colleagues [86] reported larger gray matter volumes in a sensorimotor area encompassing postcentral gyrus, the posterior extent of precentral gyrus and paracentral lobule in individuals with OCD and SP (OCD+SP) compared to those with OCD without SP (OCD-SP) and non-psychiatric controls.”
From Toward a neurocircuit-based taxonomy to guide treatment of obsessive-compulsive disorder (2021) · cites this paper as [86]
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References 48 · Cited by 72
Research works printed but not linked: 1
- [24]24. First N, Spitzer R, Gibbon M, et al. Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV Axis I Disorders-Clinician Version (SCID-CV) . Washington, DC: American Psychiatric Press, Inc.; 1997.
- Authors
- Subirà, M., Sato, J. R., Alonso, P., do Rosário, M. C., Segalàs, C., Batistuzzo, M. C., Real, E., Lopes, A. C., Cerrillo, E., Diniz, J. B., Pujol, J., Assis, R. O., Menchón, J. M., Shavitt, R. G., Busatto, G. F., Cardoner, N., Miguel, E. C., Hoexter, M. Q., & Soriano-Mas, C.
- Affiliations
- Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (ES)
- Children and Adolescent Psychiatry Unit (UPIA), Department of Psychiatry, Federal University of São Paulo (UNIFESP), São Paulo, Brazil
- Department & Institute of Psychiatry, University of São Paulo Medical School, São Paulo, Brazil
- From the Psychiatry Department, Bellvitge University Hospital, Bellvitge Biomedical Research Institute (IDIBELL), Barcelona, Spain
- ORCID
- Venue
- Journal of Psychiatry and Neuroscience
- Publisher
- Canadian Science Publishing
- Published
- 2015-07
- Volume
- 40
- Issue
- 4
- Pages
- 232-240
- ISSN
- 1180-4882 (ISSN-L)
- 1488-2434
- PMC
- PMC4478056
- OpenAlex
- W2181246808
- Cited by
- 72
- References
- 48
- Citations by year
- 2026: 4 · 2025: 8 · 2024: 6 · 2023: 6 · 2022: 8 · 2021: 7 · 2020: 10 · 2019: 9 · 2018: 3 · 2017: 5 · 2016: 4 · 2015: 2
- FWCI
- 5.79
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- bronze
- doi.org
- Locations
- Journal of Psychiatry and Neuroscience (publishedVersion)
- Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (publishedVersion)
- PubMed Central (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Dipòsit Digital de la Universitat de Barcelona (Universitat de Barcelona) (submittedVersion, public-domain)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Obsessive-Compulsive Spectrum Disorders
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Neurology › Neurological disorders and treatments
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Psychoanalysis and Psychopathology Research
- Keywords
- obsessive-compulsive disorder, sensory phenomena, sensorimotor cortex, gray matter volume, premotor cortex, tic disorders, repetitive behavior
- MeSH terms
- Adult, Brain, Brazil, Female, Humans, Magnetic Resonance Imaging, Male, Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, Organ Size, Perception, Psychiatric Status Rating Scales, Spain, Gray Matter
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