PANDAS Network Newsletter - May 2020
IABl Strep Bacteria Opens the Blood Brain Barrier- Basal Ganglia Encephalitis
Drs. Agalliu and Platt have proven here that strep bacterium have the ability to open the blood brain barrier (BBB). ( Links to research papers found here ) Reminder: Medical professionals who watch this video, please share with colleagues.

We have animated this work because there are two important findings:

  1. Strep has the capacity and power to open the blood brain barrier.
  2. These mechanisms have not been seen before. They can be useful in understanding Central Nervous System Disorders and other forms of Autoimmune Encephalitides.

Opening of the BBB and its damaging consequences can occur with other infectious agents as well.

Here it is shown how antibodies flood the brain (in this mouse model, basic science work) indicating that in humans the Basal Ganglia are afflicted. This is why the term Basal Ganglia Encephalitis is used.

BBB breach is a two step "opening process occurs" of endothelial cells (a type of protective tissue to BBB) that lose their protective integrity by misdirected antibodies that 1) open tight junctions and 2) create a process of transcytosis.

Lastly, Treatment Therapies to Families: This step that is the most important element to families should more readily occur when human blood serum research is published. There are important Antibody and Cytokine findings of PANDAS/PANS children that will be published in 2020-2021.

Please share this research as it is FOUNDATIONAL for all treatment and scientific inquiry going forward. Thank you to all the supporters of PANDAS Network. We are 100% funded by families and concerned friends.

Ca California 14 yr creates healing message from painful PANS Journey
Emily Eve Russell, 14 yrs old, was afflicted with PANS five years ago - a sudden onset of OCD, anxieties, and more, something experienced by all PANS children in various degrees of intensity. There was confusion around diagnosis and treatment. As this is a difficult to diagnose disease it is a lonely time as well.

Eventually, the Stanford PANS Clinic diagnosed Emily and helped bring healing to her life. Emily's neighbor, a younger girl, also became sick with PANS but took a path in the illness that became encephalitic and damaging. In her kind, straight forward effort to bring comfort, progress, and a MESSAGE OF HOPE, Emily wrote this song quietly at home for her neighbor and for us all.

Enjoy her music. LIKE SHARE AND SUBSCRIBE to her YouTube channel.
Thank you for the music Emily. It's beautiful!!

Dedicated to improving the diagnosis and treatment of children with PANDAS and PANS