I found this to be a simple...... easy to understand

[sf_mom]

How Does Strep Lead to Psychiatric Symptoms?

 

The discovery of PANDAS came through observing the reactions of patients. Initially, Swedo's team noticed a group of patients who were ill with infections and then suddenly developed dramatic psychiatric symptoms. At first, they were not sure streptococcus was the culprit but research soon isolated the strep antibodies as an important focus of interest.

 

PANDAS is controversial in medical circles with some physicians questioning whether such extreme psychiatric symptoms can be triggered by strep antibodies. However, according to Dr. Swedo, there is little doubt that the body's efforts to fight the strep bacteria set off a chain of events leading to PANDAS symptoms. "The science is clear now," Swedo asserts. "We not only have a direct relationship between the anti-strep antibodies and the anti-neuronal antibodies, but also have demonstrated that the antibodies interact with receptors in the brain that could produce the symptoms observed."

 

Normally when the strep bacteria enter the body, they defend themselves by mimicking healthy cells and elude detection by the immune system. Using the stealth strategy, the strep bacteria create an infection. In response, the body naturally creates antibodies - cellular components designed to find the bacteria, bind with them and direct the immune system to destroy the bacteria. When this happens as designed, the antibodies find the strep bacteria and the immune system wins the battle.

 

However, antibodies are not terribly discriminating and sometimes cannot tell a streptococcus bacterium apart from a healthy cell. In some children, these antibodies pass into the brain and look for something to connect with. In PANDAS, the strep antibodies are unable to discriminate between strep and healthy brain cells. However, the union of strep antibody and neural tissue is not a match made in heaven. Recent research, reported last fall by University of Oklahoma researcher, Madeleine Cunningham, suggests that the antibodies connect with parts of the brain which regulate repetitive behaviors and movement, such as compulsions and tics. According to Dr. Swedo, such autoimmune actions may have the direct result of producing obsessions, compulsions and tics; and in addition, they might indirectly offset the critical balance of brain chemistry which regulates mood and emotion.

 

Compounding the problem is the durability of strep antibodies. They can remain on the prowl for a hook up weeks after the strep is gone. Subsequent infections or even colds can stimulate the immune system to produce more of the same kind of antibodies which the triggered the original symptoms. PANDAS children can then abruptly re-experience the same symptoms after a symptom-free span of time. Dr. Swedo explained, "We see a saw-toothed pattern of symptoms, extreme outbursts of behaviors for a brief period in response to the infections and then the child may be relatively symptom-free for a period of time."

[memom]

That was great. Thanks.

[pixiesmommy]

Thank you. I would love to link this on my Facebook page. Do you have a direct link to the article by chance?

[thereishope]

I admit I do not really understand the human immune system. So, the immune system will produce strep antibodies for things like a cold even though it's not strep and that's why some of us are seeing setbacks with viruses? Why does the body produce the wrong antibody or does it produce extras just in case?

 

 

Subsequent infections or even colds can stimulate the immune system to produce more of the same kind of antibodies which the triggered the original symptoms.

[smartyjones]

can remain on the prowl for a hook up weeks after

 

hilarious! I guess we take our laughs where we can get them!

[sf_mom]

I of course didn't like the entire article because it discouraged use of antibiotics

 

http://www.christianpost.com/blogs/health/...c-09/index.html

[Megs_Mom]

I of course didn't like the entire article because it discouraged use of antibiotics

 

http://www.christianpost.com/blogs/health/...c-09/index.html

 

I thought this was overall a decent article (given the state of research & education). Clearly they missed the preventative and possibly immune-modulating role of anti-biotics. At least they mention IVIG & PEX. I was very interested that Tamar Chansky posted - I love her book, it was very helpful to us in understanding what is happening in an OCD brain (whatever the cause). Here is her post:

 

March 09,2009, 9:05PM

Thank you for this excellent article. I am a child psychologist specializing in the treatment of OCD, and see many families with PANDAS each month, so I am grateful that you are providing parents and others with very accurate information about this phenomenon. If I can add two other thoughts: first, sometimes children have no symptoms of strep, but have a sudden explosion in OCD and/or tics. So if your child has behavioral changes, but doesn't seem sick, bring him/her to the pediatrician to get tested. Second, Cognitive-behavior therapy can work together with the antibiotic to help kids not get stuck further with their symptoms. The interested reader may want to look at my book: Freeing Your Child from OCD: A Powerful, Practical Program for Parents of Children and Adolescents.

Thanks again for getting the word out about what can be a most confusing and distressing phenomenon for parents.

Tamar Chansky, Ph.D.

www.freeingyourchild.com

--Tamar Chansky