『Untangling PANDAS & PANS: Conversations about Infection-Associated, Immune-Mediated Neuropsychiatric Disorders』のカバーアート

Untangling PANDAS & PANS: Conversations about Infection-Associated, Immune-Mediated Neuropsychiatric Disorders

Untangling PANDAS & PANS: Conversations about Infection-Associated, Immune-Mediated Neuropsychiatric Disorders

著者: Susan Newman Manfull PhD
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Hello and welcome to Untangling PANDAS & PANS, a podcast about two relatively unknown medical disorders characterized by the sudden and dramatic onset of obsessions and compulsions, vocal or motor tics, or restricted eating behavior -- and a whole host of other symptoms -- following strep or other bacterial or viral infection. Sometimes overnight. I have the privilege of interviewing some of the top researchers and clinicians in the rapidly growing field of Infection-Associated, Immune-Mediated Neuropsychiatric Disorders. That’s a mouthful of words that encompasses the strangely named disorders, PANDAS and PANS.

My name is Dr. Susan Manfull. I am a social psychologist, the Executive Director of The Alex Manfull Fund, and the mother of Alex Manfull, who died at 26 years old due to PANDAS, a neuropsychiatric disorder my husband and I knew next to nothing about, certainly not that our daughter could die from it.

PANDAS is an acronym for “Pediatric Autoimmune Neuropsychiatric Disorder Associated with Streptococcus.” This disorder, first defined in 1998 at the National Institute of Mental Health, describes the acute and dramatic onset of obsessions and compulsions and/or motor or vocal tics as well as a whole host of neuropsychiatric symptoms in temporal association to a Group A streptococcal infection. PANS, which stands for Pediatric Acute-onset Neuropsychiatric Syndrome, refers to a similar symptom presentation -- with obsessions and compulsions or restricted eating being the cardinal symptoms -- due to a broader category of triggers (typically bacterial or viral infections). Both are thought to stem from a dysregulated immune system, probably leading to an over-production of autoantibodies and concomitant excess brain inflammation, particularly in the basal ganglia.

Symptoms vary from person to person and range in severity from mild to severe, and generally have a relapsing and remitting course. With early recognition and correct treatment, these disorders can be successfully treated. Today, it is no longer viewed as a diagnosis limited to the pediatric population.

Please stay tuned after each episode to listen to a one-minute public service announcement about PANDAS & PANS and The Alex Manfull Fund. To learn more, please visit our website: TheAlexManfullFund.org.

This content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified healthcare provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.

© 2025 Untangling PANDAS & PANS: Conversations about Infection-Associated, Immune-Mediated Neuropsychiatric Disorders
衛生・健康的な生活 身体的病い・疾患
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  • S2 E16: Dr. Andrew Baumel: One Pediatrician's Journey to Include Mild Cases of PANDAS/PANS into his Everyday Practice
    2025/07/27

    Dr. Andrew Baumel's story reveals how curiosity, compassion, and clinical observation can lead to breakthrough care for children suffering from immune-mediated neuropsychiatric disorders.

    After 18 years as a traditional pediatrician, Dr. Baumel's professional trajectory changed dramatically when a parent asked if he knew anything about PANDAS. Though initially somewhat skeptical, attending an educational lecture with the parent in 2014 convinced him this was a genuine medical condition affecting children's brains following infections. Fast forward, he has now treated over 300 patients with mild to moderate cases of PANDAS and PANS using straightforward medical approaches in his regular pediatric practice.

    Dr. Baumel shares fascinating clinical insights, including his identification of "protopans" – early, limited symptoms following infections that, when treated promptly, appears to prevent progression to full-blown disorders.

    "I have a regular practice of 1500 kids, ages 0 to 23 years. I just incorporate these [mild cases of] PANS/PANDAS into my regular practice as my regular patients. This is doable," Dr Baumel said.

    Dr. Baumel offers thoughtful perspective on why acceptance of PANDAS/PANS has been slow, drawing parallels to historical medical discoveries that initially faced skepticism before becoming standard practice.


    Link to video of 2014 PANDAS Doctor's Breakfast that Dr. Baumel mentioned in this podcast: https://aspire.care/videos/qa-breakfast-for-doctors-featuring-national-pans-pandas-expert-panel-nepans-2014/ (Aspire website)

    Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this program are those of the speakers and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of any entities they represent.

    Credits: Music by Kingsley Durant from his "Convertible" album

    To learn more about PANDAS and PANS and The Alex Manfull Fund, visit our website: TheAlexManfullFund.org

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    46 分
  • S2 E15: Science Under Siege: A conversation with Dr. Uğur Akcan and Dr. Dritan Agalliu about PANDAS Research, NIH Cuts, and the Power of Community
    2025/06/30

    How does a common strep infection become a brain disorder? Dr. Uğur Akcan's journey from Istanbul to the cutting edge of PANDAS research with Dr. Dritan Agalliu reveals the fascinating intersection of immune system and brain function that could transform how we understand and treat neuropsychiatric disorders.

    In this captivating conversation, Dr. Akcan shares his research path from studying complement levels in patients with bipolar disorder to pioneering work on the blood-brain barrier, ultimately contributing to groundbreaking discoveries about PANDAS and PANS in the Agalliu Lab at Columbia University. With remarkable clarity, he explains how mutations in the RxRA gene may explain why only some children develop these disorders after streptococcal infections, and how microglia—the brain's immune cells—fail to properly regulate neuroinflammation when this gene is compromised.

    The discussion takes an unexpected turn as we learn how Dr. Akcan's vital research was nearly derailed in March 2025 by sudden NIH funding cuts directed by the Trump administration at Columbia. In a dramatic development, the PANDAS/PANS community rallied to save his position through a GoFundMe campaign, demonstrating the powerful connection between affected families and researchers working to solve this medical mystery.

    Beyond the scientific discoveries, Dr. Akcan's personal story reflects the qualities that drive medical breakthroughs: curiosity about why peripheral infections trigger brain symptoms, perseverance through research challenges, and passion for helping those affected by these devastating disorders. His development of a 3D blood-brain barrier model and investigations into Th17 cells represent frontier science with real-world implications for treatment.

    When Dr. Akcan is not in the lab, you may find him watching football, rooting for his favorite team, Galatasaray, or spending time with his wife and young child.

    Dr. Agalliu also joins me to discuss how the NIH funding cuts have affected his lab.


    Support Dr. Akcan's crucial PANDAS/PANS research by visiting this GoFundMe page and join the community working to unravel PANDAS and PANS. Your contribution could help transform our understanding of how infections trigger neuropsychiatric symptoms and lead to better treatments for children, adolescents, and young adults suffering from these disorders. Both researchers express deep gratitude to supporters of this work.

    The goal is to raise $100,000 to cover Dr Akcan's annual salary and benefits -- only $15, 602 left!

    Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this program are those of the speakers and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of any entities they represent.

    Credits: Music by Kingsley Durant from his "Convertible" album

    To learn more about PANDAS and PANS and The Alex Manfull Fund, visit our website: TheAlexManfullFund.org

    Follow us on:
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    LinkedIn

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    1 時間 32 分
  • S2 E14: When Everything Changes: Jen's Journey with PANS/PANDAS and the Fight to Be Believed
    2025/06/01

    In this powerful episode of Untangling PANDAS and PANS, host Susan Manfull, PhD sits down with Jen, a resilient young woman whose health took a devastating and mysterious turn in her early twenties. From being taken out of work on a stretcher—twice—to struggling for answers amidst an array of debilitating physical and psychiatric symptoms, Jen shares a deeply personal account of navigating a fragmented medical system while battling PANS/PANDAS and related autoimmune conditions.

    Jen recounts her long history of strep infections, early signs of neurological distress, misdiagnoses, and the profound impact of being dismissed by the medical community. She opens up about the moment she was finally heard, the diagnosis that changed everything, and her journey toward recovery with IVIG treatment. Now in graduate school and reclaiming her life, Jen offers hope, insight, and advice to others walking a similar path.

    Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this program are those of the speakers and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of any entities they represent.

    Credits: Music by Kingsley Durant from his "Convertible" album

    To learn more about PANDAS and PANS and The Alex Manfull Fund, visit our website: TheAlexManfullFund.org

    Follow us on:
    Facebook
    Instagram
    LinkedIn

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    58 分
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