Tight Junction Proteins and Blood-brain Barrier Integrity in Pediatric Obsessive-compulsive Disorder: A Study on Claudin-5, Claudin-12, Occludin, Tricellulin, and Angulin-1.

OBJECTIVE: Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is a psychiatric disorder characterized by the presence of obsessions and/or compulsions that cause significant distress and functional impairment. Despite extensive research, its etiopathogenesis remains incompletely understood. Recent evidence suggests that dysfunction in tight junctions may contribute to the pathophysiology of various psychiatric disorders. Tight junction proteins play a crucial role in maintaining blood-brain barrier integrity and regulating neuronal signaling. This study aims to investigate the involvement of tight junction proteins in the etiopathogenesis of OCD, providing new insights into their potential role in the disorder's neurobiological mechanisms.

METHODS: A total of 41 medication-free children and adolescents with OCD and 41 healthy controls were included in this study. The participants filled out self-report scales to determine various psychological variables. Blood samples were collected from all participants to measure the levels of claudin-5, claudin-12, occludin, angulin-1, and tricellulin.

RESULTS: The levels of claudin-5, claudin-12, occludin, and tricellulin were significantly higher in the OCD group compared to the control group. However, there was no significant difference in angulin-1 levels between the groups.

CONCLUSION: Our findings indicate that claudin-5, claudin-12, occludin, and tricellulin levels differ between individuals with OCD and healthy controls. These results suggest that tight junction proteins may contribute to the etiopathogenesis of OCD. Further research is needed to better understand the relationship between OCD and tight junction proteins.