March 14, 2021
Illinois PANS PANDAS Updates
Three laws have been passed to help PANS/PANDAS families with insurance coverage. Named after two of the children of the advocates that drove the legislation, Charlie’s Law of 2017, was...
March 5, 2021
Mass General Recruiting for PANDAS and Magnetic Resonance Imaging MRI Research
MGH is looking for healthy controls to complete a single MRI and some brief psychological assessments to study Pediatric Autoimmune Neuropsychiatric Disorder Associated with Strep...
March 5, 2021
Recruiting – naproxen sodium treat obsessive-compulsive symptoms in patients with Pediatric Autoimmune Neuropsychiatric Disorder Associated with Streptococcal infections PANDAS
This study evaluates the efficacy of naproxen sodium treat OCD symptoms in patients with suspected or diagnosed Pediatric Autoimmune Neuropsychiatric Disorder Associated with Streptococcal infections...
March 3, 2021
Parents Push for Legislation That Would Help Children Living With PANDAS or PANS
DES MOINES, Iowa – This week brings one of the first significant deadlines at the Iowa statehouse. However, for some Iowa families dealing with a rare disease, one bill could bring hope. Parents...
March 3, 2021
PANS PANDAS Documentary – My Kid is Not Crazy
Groundbreaking, Emmy Nominated documentary on PANDAS by Tim Sorel, My My Kid Is Not Crazy: A Search for Hope in the Face of Misdiagnosis is now available for free on...
March 2, 2021
Brain Inflamed: Uncovering the Hidden Causes of Anxiety, Depression, and Other Mood Disorders in Adolescents and Teens
From renowned integrative physician Kenneth Bock, M.D., comes a groundbreaking approach to understanding adolescent and teen mental health disorders. Over the past decade, the number of 12- to...
February 23, 2021
ASPIRE signs on to letter to FDA regarding Complex Generics
ASPIRE cosigned the Association for Accessible Medicines’ letter to the FDA urging them to prioritize patient access to more safe, effective, and affordable complex generic medicines in Generic...
February 21, 2021
PANDAS Physicians Network Diagnostic Flowchart and Treatment Guidelines
The PANDAS Physicians Network (PPN) flowcharts for diagnosis and treatment will help clinicians evaluate their patients and determine the best course of treatment. Guidelines and workflows were...
Evaluation of Intravenous Immunoglobulin in Pediatric Acute-Onset Neuropsychiatric Syndrome
Conclusions: In PANS, which may be associated with an underlying immune dysregulation, sequential infusions of IVIG [Octagam 5%] successfully ameliorated psychological symptoms and dysfunction, with sustained benefits for at least 8 weeks, and up to 46 weeks in a subset of subjects. In addition, baseline immune and autoimmune profiles demonstrated significant elevations in a majority of subjects, which requires further evaluation, characterization, and study to clarify the potential immune dysfunction by which PANS manifests and progresses.
February 14, 2021
Case Study – PANDAS and Lyme with IVIG as Treatment
As evidenced by her recovery and resolution of symptoms, treating both the Lyme infection and streptococcal infection, as well as treating the underlying autoimmune etiology of her neuropsychiatric...
Perfectionism and Difficulty Controlling Thoughts Bridge Eating Disorder and Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder Symptoms: A Network Analysis
Irina A. Vanzhula, Shruti S. Kinkel-Ram, Cheri A. Levinson. Perfectionism and Difficulty Controlling Thoughts Bridge Eating Disorder and Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder Symptoms: A Network Analysis. Journal of Affective Disorders. Volume 283, 2021,p 302-309, DOI: 10.1016/j.jad.2021.01.083.
Highlights
- Difficulties controlling intrusive thoughts is a common symptom between eating disorders and OCD
- Perfectionism symptoms bridge eating disorders and OCD
- Restriction links to checking compulsions and rigidity
- Binge eating links to hoarding symptoms
Conclusions
The presence of intrusive cognitions and maladaptive perfectionism may contribute to the maintenance of co-occurring ED and OCD symptoms. These findings begin to delineate specific pathways among OCD and ED symptoms, which can be used in the development of interventions to disrupt connections among these disorders.
Patients with abrupt early-onset OCD due to PANS tolerate lower doses of antidepressants and antipsychotics
Margo Thienemann, Michelle Park, Avis Chan, Jennifer Frankovich. Patients with abrupt early-onset OCD due to PANS tolerate lower doses of antidepressants and antipsychotics. Journal of Psychiatric Research, Vol 135, 2021, PP 270-278. DOI: 10.1016/j.jpsychires.2021.01.022.
- More than half of patients with PANS require psychotropic medication.
- Side effects requiring a therapy change are common.
- Drug doses at which side effects occur are usually less than recommended.
- Clinicians should start with lower doses of psychotropics in PANS patients.
“Antidepressants’ most common side effects were anxiety, agitation, aggression, and akathisia. Antipsychotics’ most common side effects were dystonia, aggression, self-injurious behavior, and movement abnormality. Side effects were common at doses lower than the suggested starting doses for these medications. Patients tolerated antidepressants and antipsychotics when doses were low.”