For years, compulsive behaviors have been viewed as bad habits stuck on autopilot. But new research in rats found the ...

New research suggests that compulsive behavior may be less about willpower failure and more about inflammation quietly disrupting the brain’s reward and habit circuits. While the idea of “hidden brain ...

Domestic horses sometimes engage in stereotyped behaviors (a repetitive movement that appears to have no purpose or function.) In horses, these behaviors may include cribbing, pawing, head shaking, ...

Is compulsive behavior common in people with Alzheimer’s or dementia? When someone is diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease or dementia, many aspects of his or her life are forced to change and will ...

Compulsive behaviors are actions that are engaged in repeatedly and consistently, despite the fact that they are experienced as aversive or troubling. Yet treatment can help to manage or overcome ...

Our behavior is controlled through neural circuits in the brain. Molecular disturbances can lead to stereotypical behavior, as seen in neuropsychiatric disorders like obsessive-compulsive and autism ...

Northwestern investigators have discovered that dopamine signaling in the brain's dorsomedial striatum promotes the development of compulsive behaviors in animal models, according to findings ...

One of the early conversations I have with people trying to change addictions and compulsive behaviors is, “What pushes your buttons?” Many times, with an expression of frustration and loss, the ...

Compulsively counting objects or actions is a common symptom of OCD. Exposure therapy can help you develop coping mechanisms when you encounter triggers. Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is a ...