Mental Health News

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The mental health disorder, OCD (Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder) plagues millions of people every day of their lives over seemingly simple things that we usually don’t think twice about.  OCD is basically an inability to stop unwanted, recurrent thoughts from cycling through one’s brain.  Many are aware of some of the possible symptoms like obsessive cleaning or compulsive ritual locking and unlocking of all the doors and windows that can develop in those with OCD.  These compulsions usually develop as a coping mechanism for those with OCD to try and help such recurrent thoughts to stop.  An OCD sufferer may have a persistent sense of uncertainty that the doors are unlocked or the oven is turned on, or for some the fear that comes from thinking obsessively about bacteria and not being certain they are entirely ‘clean’. 

Scientists managed to recreate certain symptoms of this mental health disorder in mice bred to lack a certain gene called, SAPAP3.  Some are calling this the OCD gene, but in reality it could be called a ‘certainty’ gene or a ‘chill pill’ gene that helps to keep people and animals from falling into compulsive thoughts and behaviors.  The mice lacking this gene behaved like normal mice when still young, but when they reached the ages of 4 to 6 months their OCD like behaviors kicked in and they started cleaning themselves obsessively, sometimes to the point of hurting themselves. 

Why create a race of mice that must perpetually deal with anxiety and depression as a result of their OCD?  Well, as bad as I feel for these little guys, this observation can have indications for people with OCD.  Even better, a simple shot of DNA containing the SAPAP3 gene directly into the brains of the OCD mice, helped to ease their obsessive compulsive grooming, just as if they had been born with the gene.  Researchers state that mice are not humans.  You can’t sit the mouse down on the couch and ask him or her about their little mental health disorder to see if the recurrent thoughts are there that lead to the OCD behaviors.  However, this gene, or the lack of it does seem to lead to a few of the typical OCD symptoms so it could be a factor in development of the mental health condition.