How Immune Response to Strep Infection Triggers BGE Breakdown of Blood Brain Barrier PANDAS/PANS

Research from Dr. Agalliu’s laboratory in the Department of Neurology at Columbia University Irving Medical Center has recently shown that the olfactory route can be used as gateway to the CNS by immune cells in an animal model. The model used is for post-infectious autoimmune encephalitis caused by respiratory infections with Group A Streptococcus, the bacteria responsible for the common sore throat in children. This process leads to damage of blood vessels in the brain, neuroinflammation and neuronal dysfunction and it is manifested with severe neuropsychiatric sequelae in some children (the disease is termed PANDAS/PANS).
Funded in part by NIH/National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) (R01 MH112849 and
R56 MH109987).
For more information and citations for this work visit:
pandasnetwork.org/
pandasnetwork.o...
pediatric autoimmune neuropsychiatric disorders associated with streptococcal infections,pediatric autoimmune neuropsychiatric,pediatric autoimmune neuropsychiatric disorders,paediatric autoimmune neuropsychiatric disorder,pediatric autoimmune neuropsychiatric disorder (panda),autoimmune,pediatric acute-onset neuropsychiatric syndrome (pans),pediatric autoimmune neuropsychiatric disorder,pediatric autoimmune neuropsychiatric disorder associated with strep infections

[@dianafromcalifornia5127]

This was an incredibly gratifying project to work on. The impact of this research will have ripple effects for years to come.

[@darikvolpa3177]

You are a warrior and you make things happen. Thank you for all that you do. Forever grateful.

[@juliecox1559]

Thank you Diana for all your hard work!

[@juliecox1559]

@dianapohlman

[@TracyNichol22]

Thank you Diana!

[@tarapatti5935]

Thank you for this.. my child may have this. Thank you for all you do.

[@marniedeschenes5762]

This animation video breaks down very clearly the process that causes PANDAS/PANS (Basal Ganglia Encephalitis). A huge thank you from the bottom of my heart to researchers Drs. Agalliu and Platt for these groundbreaking findings and the PANDAS Network community for funding this animation. You are all my heros!!

[@kellyannar6376]

Thank you so much! I am in Canada, and my 10 1/2 year old daughter has been fighting this for 2 1/2 years, and we are slowly making progress, but still dealing with setbacks. The biggest issue is there is not a lot of knowledge of this even within the medical community, nor treatment protocols. It is encouraging to see progress on this front!

[@onefinebeauty]

This is an incredible explanation of how the BBB is breached by GAS/Th17/IL-6. So clear and concise! Grateful for the relentlessness to further understand and discover what PANDAS is, and how to treat it. No words seem to fit - we are forever thankful to Dr. Agalliu, Dr. Platt, Diana Pohlman and all of PANDAS Network! 💗

[@donnafuller1756]

To all the warriors who lead the way. Thank you PN and Diana Pohlman for never giving up. The animation and years of research behind it is outstanding. Believe! 💕🙏🤗

[@jennifermccormackvitelli9513]

Outstanding!!!!!!!!!! Deepest gratitude to PandasNetwork, Diana Pohlman, Dr. Agailiu, Dr. Platt & team for your indefatigable work! BRAVO!!

[@randygaw3142]

This is excellent work and will be a major step in understanding this most baffling and frustrating range of conditions. May I extend a sincere thank you to Diana Pohlman, the Board of Directors and the Scientific Advisors of the PANDAS Network for your tireless efforts. The challenge continues as does the need for ongoing support. With gratitude I was pleased to forward a donation earlier today. There is hope and this work is helping show the way.

[@dianafromcalifornia5127]

Thank you very much Randy for your kind words and donation. Praying we keep up momentum.

[@dianafromcalifornia5127]

Thank you so much. The proof is found only in research and so we persist.

[@susanmanfull1669]

Great illustration of how the BBB may be breached, casting light on this critical link in the connection between strep and brain disorders, such as PANDAS and PANS. Bravo, Dr. Agalliu, Dr. Platt, and team!

[@tchamp2ya]

Thank you to the PANDAS Network for giving our community a clearly understandable visual to explain the horrific syndrome that has attacked our children.

[@kathleengleason7985]

Indebted to the Pandas network, your persistence is helping so many children!

[@jamewithaz]

It’s so awesome seeing such great researching coming out from you guys. it took 6 years to get my diagnosis because doctors told me i wasnt sick. Starting immunotherapy soon!

[@dianafromcalifornia5127]

Thank you and I hope treatment makes you feel much better. Congratulations to win your hard fought battle.

[@courageousparent5988]

Excellent animation, makes brilliant research understandable! Thank you PANDAS Network and Dr. Agalliu and Platt!

[@kristinpaul7962]

Thank you PANDAS Network and Columbia for this incredible work!

[@melanieamadio4323]

Keep up the great research! I fear an autoimmune inflammatory response when/if my child contracts Covid-19. After many years of dealing with PANS and finally getting to a manageable point, it would be difficult to see a regression.

[@louishsiao5594]

Great video and very informative. It’s an important tool to help anyone understand this dreadful disease.

[@staceybsbs]

This is terrific and understandable.

[@dianafromcalifornia5127]

Thank you. This is a similar process in covid when hitting brain. Immune modulation quickly will save many lives. Columbia will report on this in August. Immune attack to brain is a NEW approach,believe it or not. But we are able to find healing now, soon there will be better treatments for pandas and things like covid. Research is so important. Grateful.

[@krystimiles117]

This is an incredible explanation and visual! Thank you so much for this valuable video and continued research!

[@dianeglinski9947]

Fascinating research. It would seem to have significant implications for covid 19. Has Dr. Agalliu done any covid 19 research yet?

[@dianafromcalifornia5127]

Yes. Dr Agalliu is investigating post mortem covid19 brain tissue now to see how autoimmunity is affecting the vascular system and creating processes similar to our PANDAS kids. Viral infections are different but mechanisms are likely similar as autoimmune.processes assault the blood brain barrier.

[@galacticsquig8538]

@@dianafromcalifornia5127 Did this presentation include myalgic encephalomyelitis? Words were said so quickly it was unclear.

[@jenniferhodges-crowder7424]

Excellent video with clear explanation of this process. Great resource for educators and patients. Thank you!

[@AH-zb7bc]

Thank you Diana Pohlman for all of your effort and hard work on this project and overall with this debilitating disease. Your dedication is amazing along with your compassion and commitment to helping the families suffering with this.

[@MultiMagnumforce]

Don't forget young adults can get systoms of the tonsils after years of exposure.

[@dycubano]

Did exist Test, Brain Imaging, LP, that shows the Microglia is Activated? Did same microglial activation inflamatory process happend with other pathogens, or events like a TBI, etc. Thanks for the amazing job it open doors for better treatments and understanding of the condition

[@dianafromcalifornia5127]

There is not testing except in limited situations where clear encephalitis is indicated by a neurologist.

[@ingegneriafacile]

All the adults OCD have been Pans

[@wallisb17]

This is brilliant - thank you. I am both an individual with PANDAS and psychology researcher. Very interested in getting involved with research/helping out. Will reach out, thank you!

[@dianafromcalifornia5127]

So glad you like it. The next chapter of research coming out shows the #1 antibodies and location on interneurons in the brains (new Yale paper) and #2 cytokine storm that igniter this reaction during the initial infection. Disease model nearly complete!

[@mractamt123]

Wallis Back Hi. I am an adult with an OCD, Tourette’s syndrome and panic disorder diagnosis. I’ve suffered for decades. All treatments have failed. I’m wondering if I have undiagnosed PANDAS. Are you aware of any test that are available that would determine if there’s something else going on? If you have any information that may help could you be so kind to send it along? Thank you in advance!

[@wallisb17]

​@@mractamt123 Hi there, I'm not a clinician, but can relate experientially. For any information, I would direct you to go check out pandasnetwork.org and they have a bunch of research, sources, information, etc. PANDAS itself is a pediatric disease, therefore symptoms have to arise and be present before the age of 18. I am not aware of ANY direct testing for children, or adults. If you are an adult, you can still have PANDAS if your childhood symptoms meet the criteria, but I am not sure how diagnostics work. You can get a Strep test as well, for both GAS (and even if it comes up negative) check for the CG strain too, which can live in your body undetected for a while. I hope this helps, but for information and contact info etc. I'd recommend checking out the official site, as I am not involved with PANDAS research or clinical work. Best of luck! (Meditation, breath work, essential oils, cannabis, and other mindfulness/natural means have been extremely helpful for my tics, OCD, depression, anxiety, skin rashes, and all the other fun stuff.

[@staceybsbs]

@@mractamt123 would say - PANS - if not PANDAS. There is an adult facebook page, even pediatric onset sufferers grow up. But PANS is not just pediatric. For sure.

[@mractamt123]

​@@wallisb17 Thank you so much for this information! I really appreciate it.

[@kristinoblon8653]

Tonsillectomy as treatment? Isn't there a better way? Recent diagnosis for my son. PANDAS Dr first line protocol is to remove tonsils based on the Georgetown study. However, I'm concerned about removing body parts but open considering the degree of suffering however, Danish study done on kids removing tonsils before age 9 had huge problems later in life. Any comments would be greatly appreciated!

[@carolann2930]

I’ve been dealing with this for 9 years. Suggest you do as much info-gathering as possible before committing. Allopathic med loves to find the quickest method to suppress symptoms, but does little if anything to ID and address underlying causation. Stop vaccinating your child - they are doing massive damage (something the PANDAS Network and mainstream docs/researchers will never admit out loud), find a good functional doc, combine info from all sources. Never trust a pediatrician.

[@galacticsquig8538]

I would question the Danish study as I am many many children from my generation have had our tonsils removed and we are no worse in terms of immune issues than the rest of the population. I am in the UK but the removal was done in Australia well before 9yrs of age.

[@blueberry_salsa8758]

Okay so how do you fix it ?

[@peterhaswell2144]

Are any of the treatments for PANDAS similar to any of the treatments for Covid-19?

[@dianafromcalifornia5127]

Pandas youth are most successful with healing using the same or.similar treatment early in onset just as Covid-19 kids.. sometimes doctors have used.intravenous immunoglobulin and steroids and antibiotics, as well as other efforts, of course to attack the initial infection. There has been debate about treatments for thousands of youth. This research has been done to understand WHY immunotherapy works so well.

[@dianafromcalifornia5127]

Some reports in extreme circumstances seem similar but we don't moderate regarding that.