ASPIRE Blog

Michael McCartney serves as ASPIRE’s Vice President and focuses on organizational strategy, community engagement, communications, and fundraising.

Despite the challenges of 2020, we are proud to report that the ASPIRE community continues to grow in size, support, and strength. We are grateful to all of you for your contributions: the clinicians, researchers, educators, parents, families, volunteers, and friends for your tireless commitment to those impacted by PANS/PANDAS. 

“The goal of this project is to challenge the narrative about who in this country is on the front lines of the fight against COVID 19 by honoring women of color physicians with portraits reflecting their determination, talent and tireless work.

“A small number of Covid patients who had never experienced mental health problems are developing severe psychotic symptoms weeks after contracting the coronavirus”

Prevalence of PANS in Child and Adolescent Eating Disorders Marya Aman, Jennifer Coelho, BoyeeLin, Cynthia Lu, Shannon Zaitsoff, John Best and S. Evelyn StewartBC Children’s Hospital Research Institute, University of […]

Recent Breakthroughs in PANDAS Research Recent Breakthroughs in PANS/PANDAS Research with Kyle Williams, MD, director of the Pediatric Neuropsychiatry and Immunology Program, discussed new findings in PANDAS/PANS research both at […]

Tara and Dave Dollinger recently donated $2.4 million to assist the efforts of Frankovich and collaborating scientists, who are searching for answers to better understand the triggers and disease course, and to hopefully develop more effective treatments for this debilitating disease. The couple hopes that this gift will lead to faster diagnosis and treatment for other families.

7-year-old explains living with PANS, new Smackover Elementary sensory room helps kids like him cope SMACKOVER, Ark. (KTVE/KARD) — Our senses combined can help give us a better view of […]

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 […]

“The essence of what makes up my daughter was gone. She was a different person. And we didn’t know what was going on,” said Tara Richardson.

“Bartonella bacteria are increasingly recognized as an emerging infectious disease threat. A new study by North Carolina State University researchers has found additional instances of Bartonella infection in humans who exhibited neuropsychiatric symptoms, a subset of whom also had skin lesions. This research adds to the body of evidence that not only can Bartonella infection mimic a spectrum of chronic illnesses – including mental illness – but also that dermatological symptoms may accompany infection.”

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.