How infections and immune dysfunction cause neuropsychiatric symptoms - Patient webinar

Dr. Craig Shimasaki of Moleculera Biosciences discusses the impact infections can have on the immune system and the brain, leading to the onset of various neurologic and psychiatric symptoms.

Could your treatment-resistant symptoms be due to an underlying infection-triggered autoimmune response?

Common infections (i.e., strep, influenza and mycoplasma pneumoniae) can trigger an abnormal autoimmune response, in which antibodies produced to destroy harmful pathogens (i.e., bacteria, viruses) mistakenly attack portions of the brain. This autoimmune attack disrupts how cells and receptors function and causes brain inflammation, resulting in a range of neuropsychiatric symptoms.

This presentation will review the biological process behind these infection-triggered autoimmune neuropsychiatric disorders. Dr. Shimasaki will discuss how infections can impact the immune system and the brain, leading to the onset of various neurologic and psychiatric symptoms, including OCD, tics, depression, anxiety and even seizure-like movements.

Dr. Shimasaki will describe several signs and symptoms that may help identify individuals with an autoimmune-induced neuropsychiatric condition. He will also review how testing with the Autoimmune Brain Panel™ can assist clinicians in determining whether symptoms may be due to an autoimmune response, rather than a primary neurologic or psychiatric disorder.
The presentation will highlight several patients who, after testing positive on the Panel, were treated successfully with a complete resolution of their symptoms.

CHAPTERS:

2:25 - Why company was formed
4:29 - Financial impact on families and patients
6:23 – Symptoms treated, not etiology or cause
8:45 - How can infections trigger neuropsychiatric symptoms?
11:10 – Other immune-mediated disorders
12:05 - How does this occur biologically?
14:29 - PANS/PANDAS
18:58 - Infections associated with these autoimmune encephalopathies
20:32 – What is molecular mimicry?
22:24 - Autoimmune Brain Panel
25:03 – Case study: 8-year-old female - numerous neuropsychiatric symptoms
26:46 – Case study: 16-year-old female - OCD, tics, restricted food intake
28:39 – Case study: 20-year-old female – OCD, neuropsychiatric symptoms
30:29 – Case study: Initially diagnosed with schizophrenia
31:37 - Guidelines for diagnosis and treatment - PANS/PANDAS
34:37 – Patient success stories
35:50 - Ordering Process for Autoimmune Brain Panel
39:05 - Contact Information
41:13 - Q&A