This study identified a common fiber bundle connecting frontal regions to the subthalamic nucleus that predicts clinical improvement in OCD patients treated with DBS, regardless of the primary surgical target (ALIC or STN). This shared "brain highway" suggests a unified mechanism of action across different DBS targets and opens up new possibilities for personalized treatment strategies.

Some authors have consulting or financial relationships with medical device companies (Medtronic, Abbott, Boston Scientific, Zimmer Biomet), which could potentially bias the research.

This study presents compelling evidence for a shared tract target in OCD DBS, using a sophisticated connectomic approach and cross-validation across multiple cohorts. Despite limitations inherent in the methodology and retrospective design, the findings are significant and warrant further investigation. The identified COI is noted but does not appear to invalidate the results. Overall, this research makes a valuable contribution to the field and justifies a rating of 4.