Moleculera Labs Educational Series:

Obsessive compulsive disorder as a presenting symptom of COVID-19: A case-series from Iran

Obsessive compulsive disorder as a presenting symptom of COVID-19

This article describes 6 adult and pediatric cases involving sudden onset OCD or exacerbation of previous obsessive-compulsive symptoms concomitant with COVID-19 symptoms. 3

The authors conclude that, “Psychological symptoms, including a sudden onset or exacerbation of obsessive-compulsive behaviors, may be among the prominent symptoms of COVID-19. The neuropsychiatric manifestations [may result] from central nervous system (CNS) infiltration, and dysregulation of inflammatory factors autoimmune responses.”

“Psychological symptoms, including a sudden onset or exacerbation of obsessive-compulsive behaviors, may be among the prominent symptoms of COVID-19.”

“PANS is recognized as an immunological disorder which occurs in response to any kind of infection (14). In a similar way, it seems that there exists a kind of immunological correlation between these new presenting symptoms and COVID-19.”

“There are different reports in literature indicating autoimmune disorders following COVID-19 (15-17). Some of them have psychological presentations and OCD is not an exception.”



  1. Guido CA, Lucidi F, Midulla F, Zicari AM, Bove E, Avenoso F, Amedeo I, Mancino E, Nenna R, De Castro G, Capponi M, Cinicola BL, Brindisi G, Grisoni F, Murciano M, Spalice A; Long-Covid Group of Department of Maternal Sciences. Neurological and psychological effects of long COVID in a young population: A cross-sectional study. Front Neurol. 2022 Aug 17;13:925144. doi: 10.3389/fneur.2022.925144. PMID: 36062008; PMCID: PMC9428748.
  2. Savino R, Polito AN, Arcidiacono G, Poliseno M, Lo Caputo S. Neuropsychiatric Disorders in Pediatric Long COVID-19: A Case Series. Brain Sci. 2022 Apr 19;12(5):514. doi: 10.3390/brainsci12050514. PMID: 35624901; PMCID: PMC9138973.
  3. Owji M, Naser Moghadasi A, Gholamian F, Mousavi SY. Obsessive compulsive disorder as a presenting symptom of COVID-19: A case-series from Iran. Caspian J Intern Med. 2022;13(Suppl 3):259-263. doi: 10.22088/cjim.13.0.259. PMID: 35872671; PMCID: PMC9272957.