An abnormally functioning OFC has also been implicated in compulsive behaviours in both human and animal studies. A rat with a damaged orbitofrontal cortex will persevere in reward-seeking, addiction-type activities even after the rewards are removed. As the researchers comment, “these findings are reminiscent of the reports of drug addicts who claim that once they start taking a drug of abuse they cannot stop even when the drug is no longer pleasurable.”13
