Objective: Neuron-specific enolase (NSE) has been suggested for demonstrating brain metabolism in neuropsychiatric disorders. This study assessed serum NSE levels in patients with tic disorders (TD).
Methods: In this retrospective case-control study, we investigated whether NSE levels were increased in TD patients. Then, the influencing factors and correlations between NSE levels and clinical features were analyzed. Finally, we tested its diagnostic value for identifying tic severity.
Results: NSE levels were increased in TD patients, although no statistically significant difference was present between transient TD, chronic TD, and Tourette syndrome. Factors influencing NSE levels assessed by multiple linear regression were the Yale Global Tic Severity Scale (YGTSS) global severity scores and gender. There were significant correlations between NSE levels and tic severity. The optimal cut-off value to distinguish mild tics from moderate-severe tics estimated by receiver operating characteristics curve was 24.95 ng/ml (AUC = 0.683).
Conclusion: Our findings suggested that NSE may be a significant biomarker in TD but should be confirmed in further investigation.
Keywords: Biomarker; Neuron-specific enolase; Neuropsychiatric disorders; Tic disorders.