Study Shows Link between Lyme Disease and PANS/Autoimmune Encephalitis using Cunningham antibody testing
Study Shows Strong Correlation of Autoantibodies Produced by Lyme Disease Sufferers and Triggered Autoimmune Encephalopathy.
I’ve treated Pediatric Lyme and” Chronic Lyme” or Post-Lyme Disease Syndrome as it has been labeled for years. As providers, we observe clinical neurological and psychiatric symptoms bubble and brew with exposures and re-exposures in these patients. Insurance companies deny coverage for anti-inflammatory, IVIG and other treatments that calm the symptoms stating that chronic Lyme, Post-Lyme Treatment Syndrome isn’t a “thing” nor is it a recognized diagnosis identified in Autoimmune Encephalopathy. Egregious comments from insurance company physicians and other medical providers/specialists within the community have stated “it must be a parenting problem” or “the kid just wants attention”…..
I’m sure I’ve struck a nerve with those of you with children afflicted by Infectious Triggered Autoimmune Encephalopathy or PANS. Especially those who do not have positive Strep titers typically associated with the diagnosis.
I’m elated to read this study published by Brian Fallon and others showing a strong correlation of Lyme infected, Lyme re-infected and Post-Lyme Treatment Syndrome patients who developed significant auto-antibodies specific to the neurological and central nervous system.
The study used the Cunningham Panel to measure neuronal auto-antibodies of pre- and post treatment Lyme patients. The antibodies measured, GM1, Anti-D1R, Anti-D2R, Anti-tubulin and CAMKII, all have direct stimulating effects against the brain and central nervous system leading to abnormal psychological and neurological behaviors.
The significance of this study assists in broadening the diagnosis of Infectious Triggered Autoimmune Encephalopathy/PANS vs. PANDAS further proving that Strep isn’t the only microbial culprit contributing to this condition and further confirming that autoimmune, neuro-inflammatory conditions can in fact be triggered by Lyme disease. The hope is solidifying an encompassing diagnosis that guides treatment lessening further misdiagnosis of children with psychiatric disorders. We can only hope that ongoing, well-designed studies will translate throughout medicine.
Please follow the link below to read the full study!
Study findings show significantly elevated titers compared to the control of those with Lyme, Lyme reinfected or Post Lyme Treatment Syndrome1 Brian A. Fallon, Barbara Strobino, Sean Reim, Julie Stoner, Madeleine W. Cunningham, Anti-lysoganglioside and other anti-neuronal auto-antibodies in post-treatment Lyme Disease and Erythema Migrans after repeat infection, Brain, Behavior, & Immunity – Health, 2020,100015,ISSN 2666-3546, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bbih.2019.100015
2 Craig Shimasaki, Richard E. Frye, Rosario Trifiletti, Michael Cooperstock, Gary Kaplan, Isaac Melamed, Rosalie Greenberg, Amiram Katz, Eric Fier, David Kem, David Traver, Tania Dempsey, M. Elizabeth Latimer, Amy Cross, Joshua P. Dunn, Rebecca Bentley, Kathy Alvarez, Sean Reim, James Appleman. Evaluation of the Cunningham Panel™ in pediatric autoimmune neuropsychiatric disorder associated with streptococcal infection (PANDAS) and pediatric acute-onset neuropsychiatric syndrome (PANS): Changes in antineuronal antibody titers parallel changes in patient symptoms. Journal of Neuroimmunology, In Press-15 February 2020.Online ahead of print https://www.jni-journal.com/article/S0165-5728(19)30352-2/fulltext
