Research Programs

Dr. Madeleine Cunningham, at the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, is conducting an open research trial to determine if particular antibodies in blood serum  can be used to assist in the diagnosis of PANDAS.

In 2003, her work with Dr. Kirvan, Dr. Swedo, and Dr Heuser was published in the prestigous journal, Nature.  The article showed that children who clinically fit the diagnosis for Sydenham Chorea had elevated antibodies that would react with neuronal tissue.  The research team isolated three antibodies and showed that these antibodies  appeared to mimic other common neurotransmitters  essentially acting as a form of interference. These antibodies were present in blood serum and in central spinal fluid indicating that in the research subjects, the antibodies were somehow crossing the blood brain barrier.

A particularly interesting property of one of the antibodies is that it was associated with increased CaM Kinase II activation.  CaM Kinase II activation in neuronal cells regulates dopamine abundance.  While not showing causality, the research showed that abnormal antibodies and abnormal CaM Kinase II activation were present in children with Sydenham Chorea.

In a subsequent Journal of NeuroImmunology  paper (2006), the research team showed that the antibodies were also present in children who fit the clinical definition of PANDAS leading to the hypothesis that PANDAS might share a common cause (pathogenesis) with Sydenham Chorea. The researchers noted that CaM Kinase II activation was significant in children with Sydenham Chorea, elevated in children fitting the PANDAS profile and curiously not elevated in children with traditional OCD or tic disorders.  This observation was consistent with the hypothesis that PANDAS and Sydenham Chorea are distinct from the traditional OCD or tic disorders.

Ongoing research is necessary to confirm these intial findings and to determine the accuracy, specificity and diagnostic efficacy of the simple blood test.  If you are interested in participating in the research trial, please contact Dr. Cunningham at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it