The gut microbiome and inflammation in obsessive‐compulsive disorder patients compared to age‐ and sex‐matched controls: a pilot study

Abstract

The gut microbiome and inflammation in obsessive-compulsive disorder patients compared to age-and sex-matched controls: a pilot study. Objective: To compare the gut microbiome profile (by way of taxon analysis and indices of band a-diversity) and inflammatory markers (C-reactive protein [CRP], interleukin-6[IL-6] and tumour necrosis factor-a [TNF-a]) of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) outpatients and non-psychiatric community controls. Methods: We collected morning stool and blood samples from 21 nondepressed, medication-free OCD patients and 22 age-and sex-matched non-psychiatric community controls. Microbiota analysis was performed using Illumina sequencing of the V3 region of 16S rRNA; serum CRP samples were analysed using immunoturbidimetry and plasma IL-6/TNF-a were examined by high-sensitivity ELISA. Multiple comparisons were corrected for using the false discovery rate (a = 0.05). Results: Compared to controls, the OCD group presented lower species richness/evenness (a-diversity, Inverse Simpson) and lower relative abundance of three butyrate producing genera (Oscillospira, Odoribacter and Anaerostipes). Compared to controls, mean CRP, but not IL-6 and TNF-a, was elevated OCD patients. CRP revealed moderate to strong associations with psychiatric symptomatology. Conclusion: To our knowledge, this is the first investigation of the gut microbiome in OCD. In addition, our findings lend further support for the potential association of inflammation and OCD. These results suggest the gut microbiome may be a potential pathway of interest for future OCD research.

Changes in the stool and oropharyngeal microbiome in obsessive-compulsive disorder

“…Several researchers have speculated that the microbiome might also play a role in the development of OCD (Rees, 2014; Turna et al, 2016). In fact, a recent pilot study of the gut microbiome in OCD has observed some dysbiosis in OCD cases compared to controls (Turna et al, 2020), and a previous work observed a difference in gut microbial composition in deer mice presenting an obsessive behavior compared to the normal individuals (Scheepers et al, 2019), while microbial treatments such as germ-free environment and probiotic treatments can modify OCD-like behavior in rodents (Bastiaanssen et al, 2019), and some OCD risk factors, such as stress, pregnancy or antibiotic use, are known to disrupt the gut microbiome (Rees, 2014). Moreover, it is recognized that some children, after suffering a streptococcal infection, present with a sudden onset of tics, OCD and other behavio r al symptoms, a condition known as pediatric autoimmune neuropsychiatric disorders associated with streptococcal infections syndrome (PANS/PANDAS) (Snider and Swedo, 2004).…”

Investigational and Experimental Drugs to Treat Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder

“…103 Interestingly, a recent Canadian study was the first to show that adult OCD patients have less richness/ evenness of gut microbiota compared to controls and in particular they display a lower presence of three butyrateproducing genera (namely Oscillospira, Odoribacter, and Anaerostipes). 95 These latter results are of special interest since butyrate-producing species seem to have an antiinflammatory effect on human immunological state. 95 To the best of our knowledge, there are still no available trials on probiotics interventions for OCD patients.…”

“…95 These latter results are of special interest since butyrate-producing species seem to have an antiinflammatory effect on human immunological state. 95 To the best of our knowledge, there are still no available trials on probiotics interventions for OCD patients. Only studies on animal models of OCD and on healthy volunteers with OC symptoms showed intriguing results.…”

“…94,[98][99][100][101] A putative role of the microbiota-gut-brain axis has already been suggested for several psychiatric disorders (depression, ADHD, autism spectrum disorders, bipolar disorder, psychosis, and post-traumatic stress disorder). [95][96][97] However, this field of research is still at its early stages in the world of OCD research. In 2020, a group of researchers showed that the natural compulsive-like behavior in the deer mouse is associated with altered gut microbiota composition.…”

The Brain–Gut–Microbiome Axis in Psychiatry

“…In addition, B. breve 1205 reduced anxiety as assessed by the elevated plus maze, and B. longum 1714 exerted antidepressant-like effects based on the tail suspension test [ 87 ]. Turna et al reported that OCD patients exhibited showed lower species richness/evenness and a relatively low abundance of butyrate-producing genera ( Oscillospira , Odoribacter , and Anaerostipes ) compared to healthy controls using 16S rRNA microbiota sequencing analysis performed on samples from 21 OCD patients and 21 healthy controls [ 88 ]. Table 5 summarizes the main characteristics of these trials.…”