Some Adults with OCD Have Anti–Basal Ganglia Antibodies

Twenty percent of adults with obsessive-compulsive disorder were found to have these antibodies, compared with 4% of patients with other psychiatric disorders.

Anti–basal ganglia antibodies (ABGAs) have been found in patients with Sydenham chorea, which is a sequel of streptococcal infection (strep) and has a high comorbidity with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). Following this discovery, ABGAs have been examined as potential pathogeneses for other OCD-like behaviors after strep, such as pediatric autoimmune neuropsychiatric disorders associated with streptococcal infections (PANDAS; JW Psychiatry Mar 1 2000).

These researchers studied prevalence of ABGAs and titers of antistreptolysin O (ASO; a marker of strep) in 96 adults with OCD (mean age, 42; mean age at onset, 16) and in 50 controls with chronic psychiatric illness and of similar age and sex; 33 controls had unipolar depression, and 17 h…

Reviewing Author

Barbara Geller, MD

Disclosures

Nothing to disclose

Barbara Geller, MD

Disclosures

Nothing to disclose

Some Adults with OCD Have Anti–Basal Ganglia Antibodies

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Reviewing Author