Saturday, June 6, 2026

1:00 PM - 2:00 PM

Salon A

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Overview

Dr. Alexa Bagnell and Dr. Clara Westwell-Roper

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Details

At the end of this session, participants will be able to: 1. Describe evidence for neuroimmune and inflammatory changes in childhood mental health disorders including Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) and Pediatric Acute-onset Neuropsychiatric Syndrome (PANS) / Pediatric Autoimmune Neuropsychiatric Disorders Associated with Streptococcal Infections (PANDAS) 2. Explain the research evidence base for treatment of PANS and approach to diagnosis and treatment requiring collaboration among subspecialities 3. Identify family and clinician experiences and sociocultural factors impacting neuroinflammatory diagnoses and approaches to care Pediatric Acute-Onset Neuropsychiatric Syndrome (PANS) and Pediatric Autoimmune Neuropsychiatric Disorder Associated with Streptococcal Infection (PANDAS) are consensus-based definitions of clinical syndromes characterized by abrupt onset of obsessive–compulsive symptoms, tics, or severe eating restriction, accompanied by a range of neuropsychiatric symptoms. In this institute, Dr. Bagnell will review the proposed etiology of PANS and PANDAS and the evidence suggesting a role for neuroimmune mechanisms. She will outline an approach to the diagnosis and treatment of PANS and discuss the evidence base for use of immune modulating and other therapies. She will share a pathway in approach to PANS, co-created by pediatric specialists and highlighting the importance of interdisciplinary collaboration. Dr. Westwell-Roper will review evidence for alterations in immune function across psychiatric disorders more broadly. She will discuss research findings that underscore the limited specificity of the PANS diagnostic criteria, and examine the clinical implications. Finally, these data will be situated within a brief analysis of public discourse on PANS/PANDAS, examining how narratives of validation and dismissal together with the search for coherent explanatory models shape family and clinician perspectives.