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SUMMARY:How habits become compulsions? Investigating habit perseveration i
 n Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder. - Paula Banca\, University of Cambridge
DTSTART:20160711T131500Z
DTEND:20160711T141500Z
UID:TALK66521@talks.cam.ac.uk
CONTACT:Paula Kaanders
DESCRIPTION:Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is an extremely disabling 
 psychiatric illness characterised by intrusive thoughts and compulsive ste
 reotyped behaviours. The current neurobiological model of OCD (the habit m
 odel) proposes that compulsions result from a disrupted balance between tw
 o distinct but interactive brain systems: the goal directed system\, which
  supports behaviours that are intentional and sensitive to goal value and 
 the habitual system\, which underlies more automatic actions. This imbalan
 ce favours the habitual system\, hence OCD has been characterised as a dis
 order of maladaptive habit learning. Although promising\, the habit model 
 needs further testing. First\, habits in OCD were never measured directly\
 , probably because of the extended training required for habit development
 . Greater habit learning has only been inferred based on impaired goal-dir
 ected control but this does not necessarily mean that the habit system gai
 ns control over behaviour\, especially given their dissociable neural subs
 trates. Second\, the mechanism by which habits become compulsions has yet 
 to be specified. In this talk I will review previous studies which led to 
 the habit model of OCD and discuss why it is crucial to address its limita
 tions\, looking beyond habit formation to explore habit perseveration. I w
 ill further present a new project that aims to capitalize on mobile phone 
 technology to create real habits in the laboratory in order to understand 
 how the brain arbitrates between intentional and automatic actions after h
 abits are established.
LOCATION:Kenneth Craik Room\, Craik Marshall Building\, Downing Site\, Cam
 bridge
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