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Untangling PANDAS & PANS: Conversations about Infection-Associated, Immune-Mediated Neuropsychiatric DisordersAuthor: Susan Newman Manfull, PhD
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. Thats 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 treatmen Language: en-us Genres: Health & Fitness, Medicine Contact email: Get it Feed URL: Get it iTunes ID: Get it |
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S3 E26: My Conversation with Dr. Jenny Frankovich about the Current State of PANS
Episode 26
Sunday, 11 October, 2026
Dr. Jennifer Frankovich is a pediatric rheumatologist and clinical professor in the Department of Pediatrics, Division of Allergy, Immunology and Rheumatology at Stanford University and the Lucile Packard Children's Hospital. Dr. Frankovich is known around the world for her groundbreaking research and clinical work in PANS and PANDAS. She has directed the Stanford Immune-Behavioral Health Program since 2012. Dr. Frankovich explains emerging work on blood brain barrier disruption using brain endothelial cell models, and how immune phenotyping across T cells, B cells, and other subsets may help match the right patient to the right treatment. We also talk about why some kids improve with NSAIDs or Azithromycin, what that suggests about inflammation pathways like MMP9, and why B cell activation is especially linked to psychiatric symptom severity in her data.We also get practical about what clinicians can actually look for right now in their patients, including subtle arthritis patterns, enthesitis, and nail pitting as empirical evidence that suggests an inflammatory driver when you can’t biopsy the brain. From there, we unpack imaging realities (why standard MRI reports often miss microstructural change, and why pediatric PET research is so hard), plus what the field needs next: randomized clinical trials, better outcome measures, the Aurora Network, microbiome research, and carefully documented brain tissue studies, to mention just a few things.Learn what keeps this top PANS clinical researcher up at night and what gives her hope. Please share this with someone who still thinks “it’s only behavioral.” Subscribe, leave a review, and tell us what people you would like to hear from and what issues you would like to see covered.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" albumTo learn more about PANDAS and PANS and The Alex Manfull Fund, visit our website: TheAlexManfullFund.orgFollow us on:FacebookInstagramLinkedIn
