125). Notably, approximately 55 to 74 percent of people who have Tourette's Syndrome also have OCD symptoms (Valente, 2002, p. 125). This similarity in occurrence of the two disorders, therefore, first suggested to researchers that OCD was related to neuroanatomical deviations (Valente, 2002, p. 125).
Some researchers who focus on the neurobiological genesis of OCD have sought surgical solutions for the disorder. These surgeries are usually only offered as an option to severely affected patients after all psychiatric and therapeutic options have failed because they put the patient at risk for neurological damage (See Nyman et. al., 2001, p. 91). The surgeries focus on the belief that OCD behavior is in part controlled by the parts of our brain that control our cognitive processes, in particular the frontal lobes and subcortical regions (e.g., the basal ganglia and limbic structures) (Nyman et. at., 2001, p. 91). Thus, they seek to control OCD behavior by surgically repairing neurological imbalances that allow for the obsessive thoughts.
Some research has also suggested that a small percentage of children may suffer from sudden-onset OCD or sudden worsening of existing OCD symptoms as a result of bacterial or viral infections (Valente, 2002, p. 125). This theory argues that antibodies produced to ward off the infections may inflame certain areas of the brain, which may result in OCD symptoms (Valente, 2002, p. 125). This theory, therefore, offers further support for a biological base for OCD.
On the other hand, childhood OCD has often been linked to specific, often traumatic, life events such as the death of someone the child loved, a parents' divorce, a change in schools or locations, or unhappiness at school (Valente, 2002, p. 125). Thus, many psychologists believe that OCD may arise from negative thinking and irrational ideas as well as biochemical sources (Valente, 2002, p. 125). Several studies have documented ...