Oxidative imbalance in obsessive compulsive disorder patients: a total evaluation of oxidant-antioxidant status

Various psychological, social, genetic, biochemical, factors are to be involved in the etiology of OCD. Some molecules of free radicals are also found to play role in OCD. To the best of our knowledge, there has been no study, regarding the role of free radicals in the pathogenesis of OCD, from a general antioxidant aspect of view. Therefore, in this present cross-sectional study, we aimed to assess whether antioxidant-oxidant status is associated with OCD and can be used or not as a biological marker regarding that disorder.

37 OCD patients diagnosed according to DSM-IV and as control group forty healthy subjects were included to the study. Venous blood samples were collected once. The total oxidant status, antioxidant status and oxidative stress index of the plasma were measured using a novel automated colorimetric measurement method.

There was not a significant difference between only OCD and all patients in all measures (TOS: Z = - 1.453, p = 0.521; TAS: Z = - 0.151, p = 0.880; OSI: Z = - 0.679 p = 0.497). TAS levels were both higher than controls in only OCD groups and all patients (Z = - 5.538, p < 0.001 and Z = - 6.394, p < 0.001 respectively). TOS and OSI of both patient groups were significantly lower than controls (TOS: Z = - 5.131, p < 0.001; OSI: Z = - 5.105, p < 0.001 and TOS: Z = - 5.979, p < 0.001; OSI: Z = - 5.862, p < 0.001). In only OCD group, illness duration was correlated with TOS and OSI (r(0) = 0.44, p = 0.023, n = 26 and r(0) = 0.44, p = 0.026, n = 26 respectively) but not with TAS.

Our study found an overall oxidative imbalance shifted towards antioxidant side in OCD which may be due to either a rebound phenomenon or chronicity of the condition.