Posts by:
Gabriella True

Dopamine receptor autoantibody signaling in infectious sequelae differentiates movement versus neuropsychiatric disorders
Menendez CM, Zuccolo J, Swedo SE, Reim S, Richmand B, Ben-Pazi H, Kovoor A, Cunningham MW. Dopamine receptor autoantibody signaling in infectious sequelae differentiates movement versus neuropsychiatric disorders. JCI Insight. 2024 Nov 8;9(21):e164762. doi: 10.1172/jci.insight.164762. PMID: 39325550; PMCID: PMC11601707.

  • Autoantibodies (AAbs) to different dopamine receptors can differentiate movement disorders and neuropsychiatric disorders following Group A streptococcal (GAS) infection. GAS-induced cross-reactive AAbs promote autoimmune encephalitis of the basal ganglia, a region with high dopamine receptor density. 
  • The research provides insights into the mechanisms by which neuropsychiatric syndromes are distinguished from movement disorders through differences in D1R and D2R AAb titers, signaling, and immunoreactivity. 
  • This study could inform new diagnostic and treatment options for GAS sequelae and related disorders.
Occupational performance patterns in children with paediatric acute-onset neuropsychiatric syndrome.

Newby MJ, Lane SJ, Haracz K, et al. Occupational performance patterns in children with paediatric acute-onset neuropsychiatric syndrome. Australian Occupational Therapy Journal. 2024;72:e12995. doi:10.1111/1440-1630.12995

Read more in a deeper dive Occupational Performance Fluctuates With PANS Disease State

  • Children with PANS show significant declines in occupational performance and socialisation during symptom exacerbations
  • Adaptive Behaviour Composite and socialisation scores were significantly lower during exacerbation compared with remission
  • During remission, occupational performance returned to age-typical ranges across all measured domains
  • Findings highlight the episodic, relapsing–remitting nature of functional impairment in PANS
  • Authors emphasize the importance of occupational therapy during flare-ups and caution against assessment-based misinterpretation during exacerbations
IVIG response in pediatric acute-onset neuropsychiatric syndrome correlates with reduction in pro-inflammatory monocytes and neuropsychiatric measures
Melamed, Isaac, et al.“IVIG Response in Pediatric Acute-onset Neuropsychiatric Syndrome Correlates with Reduction in Pro-inflammatory Monocytes and Neuropsychiatric Measures.”Frontiers in Immunology, vol. 15, 2024, p. 1383973, https://doi.org/10.3389/fimmu.2024.1383973. Accessed 3 Oct. 2024.
  • Study aimed to investigate the pro-inflammatory state in PANS patients before and after IVIG treatment.
  • Ten male PANS patients (ages 6–16) received six IVIG infusions over 3 weeks.
  • Blood samples and psychiatric assessments were taken before treatment and at follow-up points (4 and 11 weeks post-treatment).
  • Myeloid cell activation was analyzed using flow cytometry.* Significant improvement in all psychiatric assessments and parent-reported outcomes (CY-BOCS, YGTSS, and PANS rating scales; all p<0.001).
  • Pro-inflammatory monocytes and dendritic cells significantly decreased after IVIG.
  • Reduction in pro-inflammatory monocytes was observed both proportionally and in absolute numbers.
Bennett’s PANS PANDAS Story
Bennett’s PANS PANDAS Story

  Bennett was a typically developing 7-year-old boy when he started second grade, the first year back to school full time after COVID-19, without masks. That December, he came down...

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The Story of Emily The Great
The Story of Emily The Great

This is the journey of Emily, who is now 16. She began experiencing PANS symptoms in 2020 during the height of COVID-19; before that, Emily was a typical kid and did all the things that girls her age...

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Obsessive Compulsive Disorder and Other Specified Anxiety Disorder in an 8-Year-Old Post-respiratory Infection: A Case Report

Tran, Michael; Amador, Alcides; and Camacho Bermudez, Sofia, “Obsessive Compulsive Disorder and Other Specified Anxiety Disorder in an 8-Year-Old Post-respiratory Infection: A Case Report” (2024). Research Colloquium. 91.https://scholarworks.utrgv.edu/colloquium/2024/posters/91

Conclusions: This case underscores the importance of considering infectious etiologies in the differential diagnosis of sudden-onset psychiatric symptoms in pediatric patients. The positive response to Sertraline and the proposed CBT highlights the potential benefits of a combined pharmacological and therapeutic approach in managing OCD and anxiety disorders. Continued follow-up and treatment adaptation is essential to ensure sustained improvement and quality of life for pediatric patients with similar presentations.