Longitudinal Analysis of Cytokine Profiles and Their Impact on Tic Disorder Severity Over One Year
SuHyuk Chi1, Jeong-kyung Ko1, June Kang2, Jeong-An Gim3, Moon-soo Lee1
1Department of Psychiatry, Korea University Guro Hospital, Seoul, Korea
2Department of Brain and Cognitive Engineering, Korea University, Seoul, Korea
3Department of Medical Science, Soonchunhyang University, Asan, Korea
Correspondence to: Moon-soo Lee
Department of Psychiatry, Korea University Guro Hospital, 148, Gurodong-ro, Guro-gu, Seoul 08308, Korea
E-mail: npboard@korea.ac.kr
ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0729-6943
Received: December 30, 2024; Revised: January 31, 2025; Accepted: February 3, 2025; Published online: March 5, 2025.
© The Korean College of Neuropsychopharmacology. All rights reserved.

This is an Open-Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0) which permits unrestricted non-commercial use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
Abstract
Objective: This study aims to explore the relationship between symptom severity and cytokine levels in patients with tic disorders by evaluating these parameters at baseline and after a one-year follow-up.
Methods: A total of 44 tic disorder patients were recruited, 35 completed baseline assessments, and 20 completed endpoint assessments after one year. Based on changes in Yale Global Tic Severity Scale scores, patients were categorized into ‘improved’ and ‘persistent’ groups. Cytokine levels were measured using a LuminexⓇ human cytokine multiplex assay at both time points.
Results: Significant increases were found in interferon (IFN)-α2, IFN-γ, interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-6, IL-10, IL-12 p40, IL-12 p70, and IL-13, while IL-1ra and IL-4 levels decreased. Changes in IFN-γ levels showed significant correlations with tic severity, with higher endpoint levels being linked to symptom worsening. Baseline IL-5 levels were significantly higher in the improved group compared to the persistent group.
Conclusion: This study underscores the potential of IFN-γ and IL-5 as biomarkers and therapeutic targets in tic disorders. The findings suggest that these cytokines could be instrumental in assessing tic disorder severity and developing targeted therapies. Further research involving larger cohorts is needed to validate these findings and explore cytokine-targeted therapies for tic disorders.
Keywords: Tic disorders; Tourette syndrome; Cytokines; Movement disorders
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