Lucas: You have a problem doing this research. There is zero (nil) evidence for molecular deficits "underlying" OCD. To address your specific questions, it might be sensible for you to examine a basic text in neurophysiology. In general, neurotransmitters are released from synaptic vesicles when a cell depolarises, i.e. become electrically active. That is, after all, how they work!! Neurons contain either one or several types of neurotransmitters; particular groups can be identified as being neurotransmitter specific, but this is a complex matter, and one on one correspondence with particular brain areas is generally a gross over simplification. Cellular level deficits (e.g. calcium channel problems) have, for very good reasons, never been implicated in this type of problem. How any behaviour or cluster of behaviours translates from the molecular to behavioural level is one of those interesting things which no one at all has a good theory of. For a debate of some of these issues, see the series of articles on OCD in the book by Ron Rapee, entitled Current controversies in anxiety disorders, published by guilford, dated 1996.
good luck! Paul
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