Psychiatric comorbidities in patients with celiac disease: Is there any concrete biological association?

Celiac disease (CD) is a unique autoimmune disorder that occurs in genetically susceptible individuals after the ingestion of gluten, a protein found in wheat and some other cereals. The immunologically based inflammation induces atrophy of the villous structure of the jejunum, leading to malabsorption of variable severity. Subclinical and nonspecific forms of CD have been found to be increasingly common with a classic presentation of malabsorption syndrome (reference A). We present a case of OCD (obsessive compulsive disorder) in combination with depressive symptoms with the further complication of eating disorder not otherwise specified, in an adolescent male, for whom psychiatry was consulted because of treatment-refractory weight loss. We compare the elements of the case to other descriptions in the current, English language professional literature. Our literature review includes multiple search terms for the professional journals including, but not limited to, psychiatric comorbidities in celiac disease, behavioral disturbances of celiac disease, celiac disease in psychiatry, etc., to establish a possible association of psychiatric disorders, especially obsessive compulsive disorder and Celiac disease.