Neurobiologic, Immunologic, and Rheumatologic Markers in Youth With PANS

This study is an investigation of the neurologic, immunologic, and rheumatologic markers of Pediatric Acute-Onset Neuropsychiatric Syndrome (PANS). PANS is a condition characterized by the abrupt, dramatic onset of obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) and/or eating restriction accompanied by equally abrupt and severe co-morbid neuropsychiatric symptoms, which include anxiety, emotional lability, depression, irritability, aggression, oppositionality, deterioration in school performance, behavioral (developmental) regression, sensory amplification, movement abnormalities, sleep disturbance, and urinary frequency. PANS is thought to be caused by infection, inflammation, or alternate triggers that is associated with a brain response that leads to these symptoms. The purpose of this study is to examine specific neurologic, immunologic, rheumatologic, and genomic, components in children with the acute-onset of psychiatric symptoms. This research may begin to uncover a much larger story of autoimmune processes that are involved in psychiatric disorders of childhood. By better understanding the etiologic components of psychiatric phenomenon, future treatments may be better targeted to underlying causes.

The investigators will recruit 500 children, 1-18 years old at onset with PANS/PANDAS. They will be treatment naive and within one month of onset/exacerbation. The 500 children with PANS will be gender- and age-matched to 100 healthy children, to allow examination of immunologic, neurologic, genomic, and behavioral differences between these two groups of children.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Children with PANS

  1. Age 1-18 at onset of PANS
  2. Diagnosis of PANS: abrupt onset of OCD or food restriction, and at least two of the following associated symptoms: frequent urination, worsening handwriting/cognition, inattention, anorexia, separation anxiety, oppositionality, irritability/rage outbursts, and emotional lability.
  3. Patients must live within 90 miles of Stanford University and have a new onset of PANS illness
  4. Patients must have an established pediatrician within 90 miles of Stanford University for 3 years.

• Healthy Controls

  1. Age 4-18
  2. No psychiatric diagnosis

Exclusion Criteria:

• Any neuropsychiatric illness that may obscure the clear diagnosis of PANS