Cytokine profile of pediatric patients with obsessive-compulsive and/or movement disorder symptoms: A review

Fabricius RA, Sørensen CB, Skov L, Debes NM, Cytokine profile of pediatric patients with obsessive-compulsive and/or movement disorder symptoms: A review. Frontiers in Pediatrics. Vol 10, 2022. DOI: 10.3389/fped.2022.893815 

• Cytokines modulate the immune system. Significantly altered in many neurological and psychiatric disorders, like OCD, movement disorder, and PANDAS
• Review of current literature on the cytokine profile of pediatric patients with symptoms of OCD and/or movement disorder symptoms. 19 studies were found. 12 included a healthy control group. 4 had control groups of children with other disorders, primarily neurological or psychiatric. 1 compared cytokines measurements to reference intervals. 2 had a longitudinal design.
• Many cytokines were found to have significant changes in patients with symptoms of OCD and/or movement disorders compared to both healthy controls and other control groups.
• Differences were found when comparing cytokines in periods of exacerbation with periods of remission of symptoms in study participants.
• The cytokines that most studies with healthy control groups found to be significantly altered were TNF-α, IL-1β and IL-17.
• The exact role of these cytokines in OCD and movement disorder symptoms remains unclear, but the available literature suggests a proinflammatory cytokine profile offering interesting perspectives on the pathogenesis of OCD and/or movement disorder symptoms in children
• Further research into the implications of cytokines in neuropsychiatric disorders is warranted.