What is PANS?

Pediatric Acute-onset Neuropsychiatric Syndrome (PANS) is a type of autoimmune encephalopathy (AE) or basal ganglia encephalitis (BGE). This syndrome, often triggered by infections, results in the sudden onset of certain neuropsychiatric symptoms and behavioral changes.

WHAT IS PANS?
Pediatric Acute-onset Neuropsychiatric Syndrome (PANS) is an immune-mediated syndrome that affects the basal ganglia region of the brain. This condition, often triggered by infections, can result in neuroinflammation (encephalitis) and the onset of neuropsychiatric symptoms such as obsessions/compulsions, restrictive eating, tics, anxiety and ADHD-like behaviors.
PANS syndrome occurs when the body’s immune system is misdirected in response to an infection. A dysfunctional immune system can produce autoantibodies which mistakenly target healthy proteins or receptors in the brain, such as dopamine receptors, lysoganglioside and tubulin. This misdirected attack can also lead to neuroinflammation, that in turn can disrupt certain cell functioning and trigger various neurologic and psychiatric symptoms.

PANS is a broader clinical diagnostic category which includes PANDAS (Pediatric Autoimmune Neuropsychiatric Disorders Associated with Streptococcal infections). PANS and PANDAS are immune-mediated conditions that result in autoimmune encephalopathy (AE) or basal ganglia encephalitis (BGE). However, while PANDAS is a disorder that is preceded by a strep infection, PANS is a syndrome which may be triggered by other infections or even environmental triggers.

PANS: Neuropsychiatric Symptoms

PANS symptoms can vary from person to person, range in severity, but follows a relapsing/remitting course.

This syndrome is characterized by an abrupt onset of obsessive-compulsive behaviors or restrictive eating accompanied by other neuropsychiatric symptoms which may include anxiety, emotional lability, depression, irritability, aggression, oppositional behavior, deterioration in school performance, behavioral (developmental) regression, sensory amplification, movement abnormalities, sleep disturbance, and urinary frequency. 1

“PANS symptoms overlap with a variety of psychiatric disorders, such as OCD, Tourette’s syndrome, ADHD, depression, and bipolar disorder. However, the acuity of onset and simultaneous presentation of these symptoms differentiate PANS from these psychiatric conditions.” 1

A number of infections have been associated with the onset of PANS including upper respiratory infections, such as rhinosinusitis, pharyngitis, or bronchitis, mycoplasma pneumoniae, influenza, Epstein Barr virus, Borrelia burgdorferi (Lyme disease), herpes simplex infection and varicella. 2

Researchers now recognize that infections and inflammation can open up the blood-brain barrier, permitting autoantibodies to enter the brain, resulting in neurologic and psychiatric symptoms. 3

In PANS and PANDAS, autoantibodies target components located in the basal ganglia region of the brain. These targets may include the Dopamine D1 receptor, Dopamine D2 receptor, Lysoganglioside GM1, and Tubulin. When antibodies bind to or block these targets they disrupt functioning, resulting in neuropsychiatric symptoms. 2

  1. Kiki Chang, Jennifer Frankovich, Michael Cooperstock, Madeleine W. Cunningham, M. Elizabeth Latimer, Tanya K. Murphy, Mark Pasternack, Margo Thienemann, Kyle Williams, Jolan Walter, Susan E. Swedo, and From the PANS Collaborative Consortium.Journal of Child and Adolescent Psychopharmacology.Feb 2015.3-13.http://doi.org/10.1089/cap.2014.0084 https://www.liebertpub.com/doi/full/10.1089/cap.2014.0084/li>
  2. Chain JL, Alvarez K, Mascaro-Blanco A, et al. Autoantibody Biomarkers for Basal Ganglia Encephalitis in Sydenham Chorea and Pediatric Autoimmune Neuropsychiatric Disorder Associated With Streptococcal Infections. Front Psychiatry. 2020;11:564. Published 2020 Jun 24. doi:10.3389/fpsyt.2020.00564 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7328706//li>
  3. Benros ME, Waltoft BL, Nordentoft M, et al. Autoimmune Diseases and Severe Infections as Risk Factors for Mood Disorders: A Nationwide Study. JAMA Psychiatry. 2013;70(8):812–820. doi:10.1001/jamapsychiatry.2013.1111 https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamapsychiatry/fullarticle/1696348/li>
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    The Cunningham Panel™ – Antibody testing that helps determine whether an autoimmune response may be triggering neurologic and/or psychiatric symptoms.

B. Robert Mozayeni, MD

Medical and Clinical Advisor

B. Robert Mozayeni MD

Dr. B. Robert Mozayeni was trained in Internal Medicine and Rheumatology at Yale and at NIH. He has had pre- and post-doctoral Fellowships in Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry at Yale, and also at NIH where he was a Howard Hughes Research Scholar at LMB/DCBD/NCI and later, Senior Staff Fellow at LMMB/NHLBI/NIH. Editorial board of Infectious Diseases – Surveillance, Prevention and Treatment. Past President of the International Lyme and Associated Diseases Society (ILADS).

He is an expert in Translational Medicine, the science and art of advancing medical science safely and efficiently. He is a Fellow of the non-profit Think Lead Innovate Foundation and is a co-founder of the Foundation for the Study of Inflammatory Diseases. He is a Founder of the Foundation for the Study of Inflammatory Diseases to crowd-source medical solutions for complex conditions using existing knowledge, diagnostic methods, and therapies to meet patient needs immediately. He is the Chief Medical Officer of Galaxy Diagnostics, LLC. He is a Board member of the Human-Kind Alliance. Dr. Mozayeni has held admitting privileges (since 1994) on the clinical staff of Suburban Hospital, a member of Johns Hopkins Medicine and an affiliate of the National Institutes of Health Clinical Center.

Safedin Sajo Beqaj, PhD, HCLD, CC (ABB)

Moleculera Labs, Clinical Laboratory Advisor
Medical Database, Inc., President and CEO

Sajo Baqaj, PhD

Dr. Sajo Beqaj is board certified in molecular pathology and genetics and licensed as a Bioanalyst and High Complexity Laboratory Director. He has been practicing as a laboratory director since 2005.

Dr. Beqaj served as a technical director and was part of the initial management team for several well-known laboratories in the clinical lab industry including PathGroup, Nashville, TN; DCL Medical Laboratories, Indianapolis, IN, and Pathology, Inc, Torrance, CA. He is currently serving as off-side CLIA laboratory director for BioCorp Clinical Laboratory, Whittier, CA and Health360 Labs, Garden Grove, CA.

Dr. Beqaj received his Ph.D. in Pathology from Wayne State University Medical School, Detroit, Michigan. He performed his post-doctoral fellowship at Abbott Laboratories from 2001-2003 and with Children’s Hospital and Northwestern University from 2003-2005.

Dr. Beqaj has taught in several academic institutions and has published numerous medical textbook chapters and journal articles. He has served as a principal investigator in clinical trials for several well-known pharmaceutical and diagnostic companies such as Roche HPV Athena, Merck HPV vaccine, BD vaginitis panel, Roche (Vantana) CINtec® Histology clinical trials, and has presented various scientific clinical abstracts and presentations.

He is a member of several medical and scientific associations including the Association of Molecular Pathology, American Association of Clinical Chemistry and the Pan Am Society for Clinical Virology. He has served on a number of clinical laboratory regulatory and scientific committees, and has assisted several laboratories and physicians as a Clinical Laboratory Consultant.

Rodney Cotton, MBA

Moleculera Labs Board Member

Rodney Cotton, MBA

Rodney Cotton, MBA is an entrepreneurial thought leader in the pharmaceutical/biotech industry who is known for his holistic perspective, bias for action in the face of challenges, and commitment to agile processes.

Rod is an independent director for Orchard Software, a private equity-backed health technology company owned by Francisco Partners; an advisory board member to Flo2 Ventures, a venture capital-backed healthcare and health equity accelerator; and a member of the board of directors and three board committees (Audit, Compliance & Finance; Governance & Equity; and Quality of Care) for Community Health Network.

He built a successful career at Roche spanning more than two decades and culminating in the role of SVP, Head of Strategy & Transformation, and Chief of Staff to the CEO for Roche Diagnostics, the North American headquarters of the world’s largest ($17B) diagnostics company.

While at Roche, Rod led key enterprise initiatives, such as milestone corporate communications, health equity coalitions, the US/Roche Group audit, and global/US acquisition integrations. With 40+ years of experience, he drove the financial turnaround and cultural transformation of four global healthcare companies, led teams of up to 280 total reports, managed P&L of more than $1 billion, and served as a key member of the senior leadership team executing the most significant restructuring of the company in two decades.

In the face of the COVID-19 pandemic, Rod and his team at Roche accelerated six ground breaking products in 11 months, including the first launch of the market’s most accurate and in demand molecular diagnostic test. He also solved extraordinary challenges of product scarcity, supply chain, product allocation, and logistics to achieve accelerated global sourcing and self manufacturing in line with testing guidelines.

A frequent public speaker on health equity and other topics, Rod was named one of the Most Influential Black Executives in Corporate America by Savoy Magazine and one of the Top Blacks in Healthcare by BlackDoctor.org. He also received The Sagamore of the Wabash Award, one of the highest Indiana State honors, bestowed by Indiana Governor Eric J. Holcomb.

Rod holds an M.B.A. from California State University, Dominguez Hills, an M.S. in Strategic Management from the University of Southern California, and a B.A. in Biological Sciences & Technology from the University of California at Santa Barbara.