Distinct neural representations encode psychiatric states across multiple timescales

The research examined how the brain encodes psychiatric states in obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) across different timescales. Scientists analyzed more than 200 hours of intracranial recordings from the ventral capsule and orbitofrontal cortex during deep brain stimulation treatment. They found that neural signatures of chronic OCD severity are distinct and stronger than signatures of momentary distress triggered by specific triggers. Integration of behavioral data into a predictive model improved the accuracy of neural decoding for both states. The findings demonstrate that clinically relevant psychiatric states across varying timescales are encoded by distinct brain processes. Future closed-loop neuromodulation strategies should consider these differences when selecting neural signals.