Posts by:
Gabriella True

Infections, inflammation, and risk of neuropsychiatric disorders: the neglected role of “co-infection”

Infections, inflammation, and risk of neuropsychiatric disorders: the neglected role of “co-infection

AmirAbdoli, AliTaghipour, MajidPirestani, Mirza AliMofazzal Jahromi, AbazarRoustazadeh, HamedMir, Hoda MirzaianArdakani, AzraKenarkoohi, ShahabFalahi, MahdiKarimi. Infections, inflammation, and risk of neuropsychiatric disorders: the neglected role of “co-infection. Heliyon Vol 6, Issue 12, Dec 2020, e05645. DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2020.e05645

Abstract: Neuropsychiatric disorders (NPDs) have multiple etiological factors, mainly genetic background, environmental conditions and immunological factors. The host immune responses play a pivotal role in various physiological and pathophysiological process. In NPDs, inflammatory immune responses have shown to be involved in diseases severity and treatment outcome. Inflammatory cytokines and chemokines are involved in various neurobiological pathways, such as GABAergic signaling and neurotransmitter synthesis. Infectious agents are among the major amplifier of inflammatory reactions, hence, have an indirect role in the pathogenesis of NPDs. As such, some infections directly affect the central nervous system (CNS) and alter the genes that involved in neurobiological pathways and NPDs. Interestingly, the most of infectious agents that involved in NPDs (e.g., Toxoplasma gondii, cytomegalovirus and herpes simplex virus) is latent (asymptomatic) and co-or-multiple infection of them are common. Nonetheless, the role of co-or-multiple infection in the pathogenesis of NPDs has not deeply investigated. Evidences indicate that co-or-multiple infection synergically augment the level of inflammatory reactions and have more severe outcomes than single infection. Hence, it is plausible that co-or-multiple infections can increase the risk and/or pathogenesis of NPDs. Further understanding about the role of co-or-multiple infections can offer new insights about the etiology, treatment and prevention of NPDs. Likewise, therapy based on anti-infective and anti-inflammatory agents could be a promising therapeutic option as an adjuvant for treatment of NPDs.
Cognitive, Graphomotor, and Psychosocial Challenges in Pediatric Autoimmune Neuropsychiatric Disorders Associated With Streptococcal Infections (PANDAS)
Mary K. Colvin, Savannah Erwin, Priyanka R. Alluri, Alexandra Laffer, Kathryn Pasquariello, and Kyle A. Williams. Cognitive, Graphomotor, and Psychosocial Challenges in Pediatric Autoimmune Neuropsychiatric Disorders Associated With Streptococcal Infections (PANDAS). The Journal of Neuropsychiatry and Clinical Neuroscience. 2 Dec 2020 DOI: 10.1176/appi.neuropsych.20030065

Conclusions: These findings indicated relative difficulties with aspects of executive and motor functions. Although evaluations were performed following the resolution of acute symptoms, ongoing and significant academic difficulties and emotional, behavioral, and social concerns were targets for clinical intervention and support.

Anti-inflammatory Augmentation Therapy in Obsessive-compulsive Disorder: A Review
Hanie Ghasemi, Homa Nomani, Amirhossein Sahebkar* and Amir Hooshang Mohammadpour*, “Anti-inflammatory Augmentation Therapy in Obsessive-compulsive Disorder: A Review”, Letters in Drug Design & Discovery (2020) 17: 1198. DOI: 10.2174/1570180817999200520122910
Anti-inflammatory Augmentation Therapy in Obsessive-compulsive Disorder: A Review
“Results: Recent studies display that inflammation processes and the dysfunction of the immune system are likely to play a role in the pathophysiology of OCD, indicating that the disturbances in neurotransmitters such as serotonin and dopamine cannot be alone involved in the development of OCD. Therefore, it seems that medications with anti-inflammatory effects have the potential to be evaluated as a new therapeutic strategy for OCD. However, this issue can be studied closely if OCD etiological factors are thoroughly understood. The present review study aims at gathering all obtained results concerning new treatments targeting inflammation in OCD patients. Reviewing the conducted studies shows that the use of agents with anti-inflammatory properties, including some NSAIDs, Minocycline and Atorvastatin, could lead to promising and intriguing results in the treatment of OCD. Curcumin also showed good efficacy in the reduction of OCD-like behavior when it has been used in an animal model. However, there is still no definitive and conclusive evidence for any of the medications proposed.
Conclusion: More future studies are needed to investigate anti-inflammatory treatment strategies for OCD and its other subtypes such as Pediatric Acute-Onset Neuropsychiatric Syndrome (PANS), and Pediatric Autoimmune Neuropsychiatric Disorder Associated with Streptococcal infection (PANDAS)”
A Long Slow Road to PANS PANDAS Recovery
A Long Slow Road to PANS PANDAS Recovery

Around 4th grade, Sylvie was at a friend's house, and I received a call that she wanted to come home. She was scared as she had seen something upsetting on TV; turns out it was a cat that had fallen...

Read Story

Borrelia miyamotoi Serology in a Clinical Population With Persistent Symptoms and Suspected Tick-Borne Illness

Borrelia miyamotoi Serology in a Clinical Population With Persistent Symptoms and Suspected Tick-Borne Illness

Delaney Shannon L., Murray Lilly A., Aasen Claire E., Bennett Clair E., Brown Ellen, Fallon Brian A. Borrelia miyamotoi Serology in a Clinical Population With Persistent Symptoms and Suspected Tick-Borne Illness. Front. Med., 27 October 2020 . DOI=10.3389/fmed.2020.567350

ABSTRACT=Eighty-two patients seeking consultation for long-term sequalae after suspected tick-borne illness were consecutively tested for Borrelia miyamotoi antibodies using a recombinant glycerophosphodiester phosphodiesterase (GlpQ) enzyme immunoassay. Twenty-one of the 82 patients (26%) tested positive on the GlpQ IgG ELISA. Nearly all of the patients (98%) had no prior B. miyamotoi testing, indicating that clinicians rarely test for this emerging tick-borne pathogen. Compared to patients who solely tested positive for Lyme disease antibodies, patients with B. miyamotoi antibodies presented with significantly more sleepiness and pain. A prospective study is needed to ascertain the relationship between the presence of B. miyamotoi antibodies and persistent symptoms.

The Wall Was Hard to See
The Wall Was Hard to See

This story exemplifies how it is sometimes hard to see the sudden onset or sudden worsening of PANS PANDAS symptoms as you are living (struggling) through it. Remember, someone with PANS PANDAS does...

Read Story