The international journal of neuropsychopharmacology
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Int. J. Neuropsychopharmacol. · Jun 2001
Paediatric autoimmune neuropsychiatric disorders associated with streptococcal infection (PANDAS).
The evidence to date, both published and unpublished, which addresses the validity of the proposed unique subgroup of children with early and abrupt onset of obsessive--compulsive disorder (OCD) and/or tic disorders subsequent to streptococcal infections was reviewed. The aetiology of OCD and tic disorders is unknown, although it appears that both disorders may arise from a variety of genetic and environmental factors. Post-streptococcal autoimmunity has been postulated as one possible mechanism for some. ⋯ Although much research remains to be done, an increasing body of evidence provides support for the postulate that OCD and tic disorders may arise from post-streptococcal autoimmunity. The unique clinical characteristics of the PANDAS subgroup, the presence of volumetric changes in the basal ganglia, and the dramatic response to immunomodulatory treatments, suggest that symptoms arise from a combination of local, regional and systemic dysfunction. Ongoing research is directed at understanding the nature of the abnormal immune response, as well as identifying at-risk children, in order to provide for novel strategies of prevention and treatment.