Normal CSF oxytocin and NPY levels in OCD

Background: Attention has recently been focused on central nervous system n europeptides as potential mediators of th symptom profile of obsessive-comp ulsive disorder (OCD). Increased CSF levels of the anxiolytic neuropeptide oxytocin have been reported in OCD. CSF levels of NPY, another anxiolytic n europeptide, have not been studied. Methods: We measured CSF oxytocin and NPY in 14 OCD patients and 26 healthy normal volunteers. Results: There were no significant differences between the OCD patients and control subjects in CSF oxytocin or NPY levels. In both the OCD and contro l groups, women had significantly higher CSF oxytocin levels than men. Conclusions: These results do not support a prior finding of elevated CSF o xytocin in OCD patients and do not provide any evidence for an abnormality of NPY regulation in OCD. Biol Psychiatry 1999;45:931-933 (C) 1999 Society of Biological Psychiatry.