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Evolutionary Considerations for OCD

Studies have shown many conceivable analogues for OCD in various species, such as with paw-licking and excessive grooming in dogs suffering from acral lick dermatitis and feather-pulling in birds with excessive preening. The universality of common symptoms in these cross-species examples strengthen the support for obsessive compulsive disorder having evolutionary considerations.

Close similarities between symptoms in OCD patients and new parents have also led to the hypothesis that these anxious intrusive thoughts and feelings may be associated with threat detection and avoidance behaviors of OCD. This may be a result of a dysregulation of the overlapping neural circuits that are usually active during the preliminary phases of parental behavior, which are marked by feelings of excitement and extreme sensitivity to environmental and emotive cues. These cues eventually lead to further risk avoidance behaviors and over-protectiveness of infants.