Serum metabolites and inflammation predict brain functional connectivity changes in Obsessive-Compulsive disorder

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Metabolomics
• Immunology

Background:

• Understanding the metabolic and immune pathways in obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is limited.
• The precise mechanisms by which metabolism and immunity affect brain activity and function in OCD remain unclear.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate alterations in serum metabolites, inflammatory markers, brain activity, and functional connectivity (FC) in individuals with OCD.
• To explore the relationship between these metabolic, immune, and neural factors in OCD.

Main Methods:

• Serum metabolites were analyzed using High-Performance Liquid Chromatography-Tandem Mass Spectrometry (HPLC-MS/MS).
• Inflammatory markers were quantified via enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA).
• Brain functional connectivity (FC) was assessed using resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI).

Main Results:

• Individuals with OCD showed significant alterations in 11 serum metabolites (10 increased, 1 decreased) compared to healthy controls.
• Elevated levels of five inflammatory factors (TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-2, IL-6, IL-12) were observed in the OCD group.
• Atypical FC was found in brain regions associated with sensory-motor processing, cognitive control, and emotion regulation in individuals with OCD.

Conclusions:

• Individuals with OCD exhibit distinct alterations in serum metabolites, inflammatory markers, and brain functional connectivity.
• Serum metabolites (e.g., phosphatidylcholine) and inflammatory markers (e.g., IL-1β) can predict alterations in brain FC in OCD.
• These metabolic and immune dysregulations may contribute to the pathophysiology of OCD by influencing neural network function.