Research

High ceruloplasmin levels are associated with obsessive compulsive disorder: a case control study

Osman Virit¹ , Salih Selek² , Mahmut Bulut¹ , Haluk Asuman Savas¹ , Hakim Celik³ , Ozcan Erel³ and Hasan Herken⁴

¹  Department of Psychiatry, Medical Faculty, Gaziantep University, Gaziantep, Turkey

²  Department of Psychiatry, Kahramanmaras State Hospital, Kahramanmaras, Turkey

³  Department of Clinical Biochemistry, Medical Faculty, Harran University, Sanliurfa, Turkey

⁴  Department of Psychiatry, Medical Faculty, Pamukkale University, Denizli, Turkey

author email corresponding author email

Behavioral and Brain Functions 2008, 4:52doi:10.1186/1744-9081-4-52

Published:	18 November 2008

Abstract

Background

Alterations in ceruloplasmin are currently assumed as one of the mechanisms underlying the development of a number of neurodegenerative disorders. Several studies indicate that elevated serum ceruloplasmin levels may play a role in schizophrenia by exacerbating or perpetuating dopaminergic dysregulation. No study investigating the relationship between ceruloplasmin and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) has been published to date. Nowadays OCD is increasingly speculated to be a different disorder than other anxiety disorders, and rather is considered to be more similar to psychotic disorders. The objective of this study to explore whether there is an association of ceruloplasmin with OCD as in schizophrenia.

Method

26 pure OCD and 9 co-morbid OCD patients from Gaziantep University Sahinbey Research Hospital, Psychiatry Clinics, diagnosed according to the DSM IV and 40 healthy controls were included in the study. Blood samples were collected; ceruloplasmin levels were measured.

Results

The mean ceruloplasmin level in pure OCD patients, co-morbid OCD patients, and control group persons were 544.46 ± 26.53, 424.43 ± 31.50 and 222.35 ± 8.88 U/L respectively. Results of all 3 groups differ significantly. Positive predictive value of ceruloplasmin for that cut-off point is 31/31 (100%) and negative predictive value is 40/44 (91%) in our group.

Conclusion

Although the nature of relationship is not clear there was an association between ceruloplasmin levels and OCD in our study.