Neuropsychiatric Disorders
Immune Triggers Behind Neuropsychiatric Disorders
An abnormal immune response can trigger symptoms associated with various neuropsychiatric disorders. When an individual develops an infection, the immune system produces antibodies which mistakenly attack not only the harmful pathogen but healthy tissue in the brain.
This misguided assault disrupts how receptors and cells function and causes brain inflammation, leading to the onset of neurologic and psychiatric symptoms (i.e., anxiety, brain fog, tics, or mood changes).
Individuals with neuropsychiatric disorders caused by an abnormal autoimmune response typically don’t respond to standard treatments or medications worsen their symptoms.
This is why it’s so important to identify an underlying autoimmune cause – with the correct diagnosis and treatment, patients’ symptoms often resolve completely or are substantially reduced.
Dr. Gary Kaplan shares the story of a teenager with debilitating anxiety, mood swings and OCD whose symptoms resolved after being diagnosed with an autoimmune neuropsychiatric disorder, triggered by infections.
(Note: The Autoimmune Brain Panel™ is known formerly as the Cunningham Panel™)
Uncovering the Roots of Neuropsychiatric Disorders
Patients with difficult-to-treat neuropsychiatric disorders often face a long and confusing diagnostic journey. But there is hope. For some, these symptoms may be rooted in an underlying infection-triggered autoimmune process – where the immune system targets the brain.
Recognizing this possibility is critical. When identified, treatment can shift from simply managing symptoms with psychiatric medications to addressing the root cause: clearing hidden infections, calming brain inflammation, and supporting the immune system through targeted therapies.
Could your symptoms be caused by an infection-triggered immune dysfunction?
The Autoimmune Brain Panel™ is the only test of its kind that helps identify whether a patient’s neurologic and/or psychiatric symptoms may be caused by an autoimmune response, triggered by infection(s).
Elevated levels suggest that symptoms may be related to an underlying immune dysfunction rather than a primary psychiatric or neurologic condition. Test results can help clinicians develop targeted and effective treatment plans.
Testing is simple. And involves a single blood draw.
Dr. Craig Shimasaki reviews the case of a patient initially diagnosed with schizophrenia. After testing revealed an immune-mediated cause, appropriate treatment led to the complete resolution of her symptoms.
Immune-Driven Neuropsychiatric Disorders
If your symptoms are immune-related, the right diagnosis can lead to life-changing treatment.
- Uncovering an autoimmune component typically changes the course of treatment.
- Treatment often focuses on clearing infections, calming inflammation, and, when needed, treating the immune system with immunomodulatory therapies.
- Early diagnosis and treatment has been shown to improve chances for a full recovery. 1
- With proper treatment, symptoms/behaviors often significantly improve or resolve completely. 2
References
- Shin Y-W, Lee S-T, Park K-I, et al. Treatment strategies for autoimmune encephalitis. Therapeutic Advances in Neurological Disorders. January 2018. doi:10.1177/1756285617722347. https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/pdf/10.1177/1756285617722347
- Brenton JN, Goodkin HP. Antibody-Mediated Autoimmune Encephalitis in Childhood. Pediatr Neurol. 2016 Jul;60:13-23. doi: 10.1016/j.pediatrneurol.2016.04.004. Epub 2016 Apr 12. PMID: 27343023. https://www.pedneur.com/article/S0887-8994(15)30139-9/pdf
Take the first step towards understanding your neuropsychiatric symptoms with an exclusive guide to something here, all backed by world-leading science.
Is testing right for you? We’ll review the symptoms typically associated with each of the Panel assays. And, we’ll explore whether testing may be beneficial to you and why it’s important.
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