Comparing Functional Connections of Brain Waves in Resting State and Imaginary Exposure in Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder Subgroup with Harm Avoidance Motivation

Pourebrahimi, Mahjoubeh; Sarafraz, MehdiReza

doi:10.48308/apsy.2025.239214.1789

Comparing Functional Connections of Brain Waves in Resting State and Imaginary Exposure in Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder Subgroup with Harm Avoidance Motivation

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

¹ Ph.D. of Clinical Psychology, Department of Clinical Psychology, Faculty of Educational Sciences and Psychology, Shiraz University, Shiraz, Iran.

² Associate Professor, Department of Clinical Psychology, Faculty of Educational Sciences and Psychology, Shiraz University, Shiraz, Iran.

10.48308/apsy.2025.239214.1789

Abstract

Aim: This research aimed to comparing the functional connections of brain waves in the resting state and imaginary exposure to obsessive-provoking situation in the subgroup of obsessive-compulsive disorder with harm avoidance motivation.
Method: The research design was descriptive-analytical and intra-group with comparison in two functional states (resting and imaginary exposure). The research sample was 45 patients suffering from obsessive-compulsive disorder with the harm avoidance motivation, who referred to the Peyvand counseling center in Kerman city in 2023-2024. They were selected by the purposeful sampling method and were evaluated by the Yale-Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale (1986), Obsessive-Compulsive Core Dimensions Interview (2014), Obsessive-compulsive Trait Core Dimensions Questionnaire (2014) and EEG recording. Data analysis was done using paired t-test.
Results: The results showed a increase in delta wave functional connectivity in frontal and fronto-central, and theta wave in fronto-central and fronto-temporal, decrease in alpha wave functional connectivity in intrahemispheric regions in fronto-temporal, fronto-parietal and fronto-occipital especially the right side, and interhemispheric regions in frontal and temporal lobes, and beta wave in frontal, fronto-temporal and fronto-occipital areas in the imaginary exposure condition compared to the resting state (p< 0.01).
Conclusion: Thus, the results showed significant changes in functional connectivity of all waves and broadly across the entire brain network in the imaginal exposure condition compared to the resting state. These findings encourage further research into the functional connectivity patterns of brain waves of other homogeneous subgroups of obsessive-compulsive disorder and comparing those with each other.

Keywords

Main Subjects

Clinical Disorders

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