Eyeball Scan Reveals Nerve Damage and Immune Changes in OCD Patients

Researchers in Turkey report that corneal imaging may reveal both nerve damage and immune changes in people with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). The study, conducted at Gazi University in Ankara and published in BMC Psychiatry, is the first to use corneal confocal microscopy in OCD. It found that patients who had never taken psychiatric medication showed a marked increase in immune cells in the cornea and a measurable loss of fine nerve fibers in the eye’s front surface. Because corneal confocal microscopy can capture images within minutes and does not require eye drops, the authors say it could offer a more objective biological marker for a disorder diagnosed largely through interviews and questionnaires. The findings build on prior evidence linking OCD to inflammatory and immunological mechanisms.