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

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, ...

Why do some people keep making the same harmful choices, even when they know better? A global study has revealed three distinct decision-making types and why punishment doesn’t work for everyone. When ...

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 ...

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 ...

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 ...

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 ...

Share on Pinterest New research suggests there may be a link between the number of hours a child spends playing video games and their risk of developing obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). Carol ...

A specific pattern of brain activity in a frontal brain region is linked to compulsive behaviors like excessive hand washing, chronic hair-pulling, and skin-picking in people with obsessive compulsive ...

Obsessive-compulsive disorder can be disabling without treatment. Learn more about when and how to seek professional help.