Error-related negativity and other biomarkers in pediatric OCD, before and after treatment. A study protocol

Abstract

Obsessive-compulsive disorder is a severe and debilitating mental disorder that affects between 0.5-3% of children and adolescents. With no more than 50% remission rates after first-line treatment with CBT, exploring ways to enhance treatment outcomes in pediatric OCD is warranted. Moreover, understanding of neurocognitive and neurophysiological factors in pediatric OCD is limited, including a lack of biomarkers with diagnostic validity, reliable predictors of treatment outcomes and understanding of long-term trajectories of the disorder. Studies on neurocognitive functioning, error-related negativity and other EEG biomarkers in adults show promise, but further research in pediatric samples is needed. With the aims of facilitating early diagnosis and intervention, targeted treatment, and improved outcomes we intend to evaluate the role of neurocognitive and neurophysiological factors on the pathogenesis of pediatric OCD, before and after enhanced CBT treatment (eCBT), as well as their predictive value on treatment outcome.