1. Serum interleukin-1β (IL-1β) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) levels were higher in obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) patients compared to healthy controls.

Evidence Rating Level: 3 (Average)

Emerging evidence suggests immune dysregulation to be involved in the pathogenesis of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). Interleukin-1β (IL-1β) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) are crucial pro-inflammatory cytokines for regulating immune responses; however, their role in OCD is unclear. This case-control study of 58 OCD patients and 30 age-sex-matched healthy controls (HCs) (mean age = 32.14±1.43, male N (%) 34 (58.62%), mean BMI = 23.97±0.62 kg/m2) thus examined the role of IL-1β and IL-6 in the pathophysiology of OCD. Compared to the HCs, OCD patients had higher serum IL-1β levels (23.68±1.65 pg/ml vs. 15.75±1.02 pg/ml; p = 0.002) and higher serum IL-6 levels (44.97±0.73 pg/ml vs. 37.04±0.35 pg/ml; p<0.001). While elevated IL-6 levels were maintained for both sexes individually in OCD patients compared to HCs (p < 0.001), IL-1β serum levels were maintained only in male OCD patients (p = 0.006). Serum IL-1β (r = 0.380, p = 0.015) and IL-6 levels (r = 0.324, p = 0.026) were both significantly associated with greater scores on the Yale-Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale (Y-BOCS), reflecting greater severity of OCD symptoms. Overall, study results suggest that serum IL-1β and IL-6 levels may be involved in OCD pathogenesis and could potentially serve as blood-based biomarkers for OCD risk assessment. Future studies with larger sample sizes are warranted. 

Click to read the study in PLOSONE

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