Anti-basal ganglia antibodies in primary obsessive–compulsive disorder: systematic review and meta-analysis

Pearlman, Daniel M.; Vora, Haily; Marquis, Brian G; Najjar, Souhel; Dudley, Lauren

doi:10.1192/bjp.bp.113.137018

Br J Psychiatry

2014

DOI: 10.1192/bjp.bp.113.137018

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Anti-basal ganglia antibodies in primary obsessive–compulsive disorder: systematic review and meta-analysis

Daniel M. Pearlman

¹

,

Haily Vora

²

,

Brian G Marquis

³

et al.

Abstract: Odds of ABGA seropositivity are increased fivefold in primary OCD compared with controls, but are comparable to those associated with disorders previously associated with ABGA, providing circumstantial evidence of autoimmunity in a subset of those with primary OCD. Further experimental studies are needed to ascertain whether this relationship is causal.

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Cited by 84 publications

(56 citation statements)

References 106 publications

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Bidirectional Association Between Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder and Systemic Autoimmune Diseases Among Probands and Unaffected Siblings: A Nationwide Population-Based Study

Liou,

Tsai,

Bai

et al. 2022

Psychosom Med

Abstract

Smart CitationsHow this paper cites the one you are viewing

“…Morreale et al (25) further investigated 120 patients with Sjögren syndrome and found that psychiatric symptoms, including depression and anxiety, were significantly associated with the anti–Sjögren's-syndrome-related antigen A autoantibody and reduced N -acetylaspartate levels or N -acetylaspartate–to–creatine ratio in the frontal and basal ganglion regions, as measured using magnetic resonance spectroscopy. The aforementioned finding suggests a shared autoimmune susceptibility in OCD and SAID pathophysiology, such as SLE and Sjögren syndrome, and the aforementioned study further hypothesized that several environment factors, such as infection, may trigger the cascades of OCD first and SAID later or SAID first and OCD later (21–23).…”

Section: Discussion

mentioning

confidence: 88%

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Bidirectional Association Between Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder and Systemic Autoimmune Diseases Among Probands and Unaffected Siblings: A Nationwide Population-Based Study

Liou,

Tsai,

Bai

et al. 2022

Psychosom Med

Abstract

Smart CitationsHow this paper cites the one you are viewing

“…Morreale et al (25) further investigated 120 patients with Sjögren syndrome and found that psychiatric symptoms, including depression and anxiety, were significantly associated with the anti–Sjögren's-syndrome-related antigen A autoantibody and reduced N -acetylaspartate levels or N -acetylaspartate–to–creatine ratio in the frontal and basal ganglion regions, as measured using magnetic resonance spectroscopy. The aforementioned finding suggests a shared autoimmune susceptibility in OCD and SAID pathophysiology, such as SLE and Sjögren syndrome, and the aforementioned study further hypothesized that several environment factors, such as infection, may trigger the cascades of OCD first and SAID later or SAID first and OCD later (21–23).…”

Section: Discussion

mentioning

confidence: 88%

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The Immune/Inflammatory Underpinnings of Neurodevelopmental Disorders and Pediatric Acute-Onset Neuropsychiatric Syndrome: A Scoping Review

Gagliano

¹

,

Cucinotta

²

,

Giunta

³

et al. 2025

IJMS

Abstract

Smart CitationsHow this paper cites the one you are viewing

“…Inflammatory markers and immunogenetic predisposition were evaluated in assumed “primary forms of OCD”. For example, a meta-analysis demonstrated that serum and CSF anti-basal ganglia antibody (ABGA) levels were fivefold increased in individuals with primary OCD compared with controls, and comparable to TD, ADHD, and PANS patients [ 183 ]. A meta-analysis of plasma serum levels of proinflammatory cytokines reported a significant reduction in IL-1β levels in individuals with OCD compared to controls, a decrease in IL-6 levels in studies involving children, and elevated TNF-α levels in studies including subjects with comorbid depression [ 184 ].…”

Section: Results

mentioning

confidence: 99%

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Autoantibodies in patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder: a systematic review

Denzel

¹

,

Runge

²

,

Feige

³

et al. 2023

Transl Psychiatry

Abstract

Smart CitationsHow this paper cites the one you are viewing

“… *Screened reviews and meta-analyses: [ 29 – 31 , 33 – 43 ]. Additional case study from references of case report [ 45 ]: [ 49 ].…”

Section: Results

mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Other studies corroborated this assumption by identifying anti-basal ganglia autoantibodies (ABGA) in children with PANDAS [ 25 – 28 ]. In line with this, Pearlman and colleagues [ 29 ] conducted a meta-analysis on ABGA in OCD patients and detected significantly elevated ABGA levels. However, several studies also suggest that other autoantibodies besides ABGA may be associated with OCD and OCS [ 30 – 35 ].…”

Section: Introduction

mentioning

confidence: 83%

Get access via publisher

Bidirectional Association Between Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder and Systemic Autoimmune Diseases Among Probands and Unaffected Siblings: A Nationwide Population-Based Study

Liou,

Tsai,

Bai

et al. 2022

Psychosom Med

Abstract

Smart CitationsHow this paper cites the one you are viewing

“…Morreale et al (25) further investigated 120 patients with Sjögren syndrome and found that psychiatric symptoms, including depression and anxiety, were significantly associated with the anti–Sjögren's-syndrome-related antigen A autoantibody and reduced N -acetylaspartate levels or N -acetylaspartate–to–creatine ratio in the frontal and basal ganglion regions, as measured using magnetic resonance spectroscopy. The aforementioned finding suggests a shared autoimmune susceptibility in OCD and SAID pathophysiology, such as SLE and Sjögren syndrome, and the aforementioned study further hypothesized that several environment factors, such as infection, may trigger the cascades of OCD first and SAID later or SAID first and OCD later (21–23).…”

Section: Discussion

mentioning

confidence: 88%

Get access via publisher

The Immune/Inflammatory Underpinnings of Neurodevelopmental Disorders and Pediatric Acute-Onset Neuropsychiatric Syndrome: A Scoping Review

Gagliano

¹

,

Cucinotta

²

,

Giunta

³

et al. 2025

IJMS

Abstract

Smart CitationsHow this paper cites the one you are viewing

“…Inflammatory markers and immunogenetic predisposition were evaluated in assumed “primary forms of OCD”. For example, a meta-analysis demonstrated that serum and CSF anti-basal ganglia antibody (ABGA) levels were fivefold increased in individuals with primary OCD compared with controls, and comparable to TD, ADHD, and PANS patients [ 183 ]. A meta-analysis of plasma serum levels of proinflammatory cytokines reported a significant reduction in IL-1β levels in individuals with OCD compared to controls, a decrease in IL-6 levels in studies involving children, and elevated TNF-α levels in studies including subjects with comorbid depression [ 184 ].…”

Section: Results

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Get access via publisher

Autoantibodies in patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder: a systematic review

Denzel

¹

,

Runge

²

,

Feige

³

et al. 2023

Transl Psychiatry

Abstract

Smart CitationsHow this paper cites the one you are viewing

“… *Screened reviews and meta-analyses: [ 29 – 31 , 33 – 43 ]. Additional case study from references of case report [ 45 ]: [ 49 ].…”

Section: Results

mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Other studies corroborated this assumption by identifying anti-basal ganglia autoantibodies (ABGA) in children with PANDAS [ 25 – 28 ]. In line with this, Pearlman and colleagues [ 29 ] conducted a meta-analysis on ABGA in OCD patients and detected significantly elevated ABGA levels. However, several studies also suggest that other autoantibodies besides ABGA may be associated with OCD and OCS [ 30 – 35 ].…”

Section: Introduction

mentioning

confidence: 83%

Get access via publisher

Bidirectional Association Between Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder and Systemic Autoimmune Diseases Among Probands and Unaffected Siblings: A Nationwide Population-Based Study

Liou,

Tsai,

Bai

et al. 2022

Psychosom Med

Abstract

Smart CitationsHow this paper cites the one you are viewing

“…Morreale et al (25) further investigated 120 patients with Sjögren syndrome and found that psychiatric symptoms, including depression and anxiety, were significantly associated with the anti–Sjögren's-syndrome-related antigen A autoantibody and reduced N -acetylaspartate levels or N -acetylaspartate–to–creatine ratio in the frontal and basal ganglion regions, as measured using magnetic resonance spectroscopy. The aforementioned finding suggests a shared autoimmune susceptibility in OCD and SAID pathophysiology, such as SLE and Sjögren syndrome, and the aforementioned study further hypothesized that several environment factors, such as infection, may trigger the cascades of OCD first and SAID later or SAID first and OCD later (21–23).…”

Section: Discussion

mentioning

confidence: 88%

Get access via publisher

The Immune/Inflammatory Underpinnings of Neurodevelopmental Disorders and Pediatric Acute-Onset Neuropsychiatric Syndrome: A Scoping Review

Gagliano

¹

,

Cucinotta

²

,

Giunta

³

et al. 2025

IJMS

Abstract

Smart CitationsHow this paper cites the one you are viewing

“…Inflammatory markers and immunogenetic predisposition were evaluated in assumed “primary forms of OCD”. For example, a meta-analysis demonstrated that serum and CSF anti-basal ganglia antibody (ABGA) levels were fivefold increased in individuals with primary OCD compared with controls, and comparable to TD, ADHD, and PANS patients [ 183 ]. A meta-analysis of plasma serum levels of proinflammatory cytokines reported a significant reduction in IL-1β levels in individuals with OCD compared to controls, a decrease in IL-6 levels in studies involving children, and elevated TNF-α levels in studies including subjects with comorbid depression [ 184 ].…”

Section: Results

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Get access via publisher

Autoantibodies in patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder: a systematic review

Denzel

¹

,

Runge

²

,

Feige

³

et al. 2023

Transl Psychiatry

Abstract

Smart CitationsHow this paper cites the one you are viewing

“… *Screened reviews and meta-analyses: [ 29 – 31 , 33 – 43 ]. Additional case study from references of case report [ 45 ]: [ 49 ].…”

Section: Results

mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Other studies corroborated this assumption by identifying anti-basal ganglia autoantibodies (ABGA) in children with PANDAS [ 25 – 28 ]. In line with this, Pearlman and colleagues [ 29 ] conducted a meta-analysis on ABGA in OCD patients and detected significantly elevated ABGA levels. However, several studies also suggest that other autoantibodies besides ABGA may be associated with OCD and OCS [ 30 – 35 ].…”

Section: Introduction

mentioning

confidence: 83%

Get access via publisher