Untangling PANDAS & PANS: Conversations about Infection-Associated, Immune-Mediated Neuropsychiatric Disorders
Hello and welcome to Untangling PANDAS & PANS, a podcast about two relatively unknown medical disorders characterized by the sudden and dramatic onset of obsessions and compulsions, vocal or motor tics, or restricted eating behavior -- and a whole host of other symptoms -- following strep or other bacterial or viral infection. Sometimes overnight. I have the privilege of interviewing some of the top researchers and clinicians in the rapidly growing field of Infection-Associated, Immune-Mediated Neuropsychiatric Disorders. That’s a mouthful of words that encompasses the strangely named disorders, PANDAS and PANS.
My name is Dr. Susan Manfull. I am a social psychologist, the Executive Director of The Alex Manfull Fund, and the mother of Alex Manfull, who died at 26 years old due to PANDAS, a neuropsychiatric disorder my husband and I knew next to nothing about, certainly not that our daughter could die from it.
PANDAS is an acronym for “Pediatric Autoimmune Neuropsychiatric Disorder Associated with Streptococcus.” This disorder, first defined in 1998 at the National Institute of Mental Health, describes the acute and dramatic onset of obsessions and compulsions and/or motor or vocal tics as well as a whole host of neuropsychiatric symptoms in temporal association to a Group A streptococcal infection. PANS, which stands for Pediatric Acute-onset Neuropsychiatric Syndrome, refers to a similar symptom presentation -- with obsessions and compulsions or restricted eating being the cardinal symptoms -- due to a broader category of triggers (typically bacterial or viral infections). Both are thought to stem from a dysregulated immune system, probably leading to an over-production of autoantibodies and concomitant excess brain inflammation, particularly in the basal ganglia.
Symptoms vary from person to person and range in severity from mild to severe, and generally have a relapsing and remitting course. With early recognition and correct treatment, these disorders can be successfully treated. Today, it is no longer viewed as a diagnosis limited to the pediatric population.
Please stay tuned after each episode to listen to a one-minute public service announcement about PANDAS & PANS and The Alex Manfull Fund. To learn more, please visit our website: TheAlexManfullFund.org.
This content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified healthcare provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.
Episodes
27 episodes
S3 E23: Jadin O'Brien Overcomes PANDAS to Excel in Track & Field and Compete on the USA Olympic Bobsled Team
Jaden O’Brien takes us inside the world of Olympic bobsled racing, beginning with the grind of multi-event track at Notre Dame to a three-week bobsled tryout in Lake Placid that turned into a World Cup spot and a ticket to the 2026 Winter...
S3 E22: Dr. Omar Morales Talks About His Path to LymeMexico
A sudden storm of obsessions, tics, rage, and cognitive chaos can follow a simple infection—and families are left searching for answers. We sit down with Dr. Omar Morales, a hematology‑trained clinician innovating at the intersection of i...
S3 E21: My Eclectic Conversation with Fulvio D'Acquisto, PhD: From Carl Rogers to Immuno-Moodulin
What if sudden OCD, tics, and food restriction after an infection aren’t “all in the head,” but start with immune cells carrying a biochemical message to the brain? We sit down with Dr. Fulvio d'Acquisto—immunologist, psychotherapist, and found...
S2 E20: The Alex Manfull Fund Reflects on the Past and Looks to the Future
The Manfulls open up about losing their daughter, Alex, to complications of PANDAS/PANS—and how that loss became a focused mission to change the way medicine recognizes and treats infection‑triggered neuroimmune disorders. From kitchen‑table gr...
S2 E19: Rheumatic Clues To Understanding the PANDAS/PANS Puzzle -- A Conversation with Dr. J. Patrick Whelan
A sore throat that ends in compulsions, tics, and a child who suddenly can’t sleep or attend school sounds improbable—until you hear a pediatric rheumatologist walk through the biology. Dr. J. Patrick Whelan of UCLA sits down with Dr. Susan Man...
S2 E18: My Conversation with Dr. Mikki Tal about How She Is Revolutionizing Our Understanding of Infection-Associated Chronic Illness
What makes some people vulnerable to devastating chronic illness after infections that most recover from easily? Dr. Michal "Mikki" Tal, pioneering immunoengineer at MIT, is tackling this question through her groundbreaking Maestro study - the ...
S2 E17: Sheilah Gauch Offers Eight Tips for Students with PANS and their Parents on How to Successfully Transition to College...or Anywhere Else
Transitioning to college marks a significant milestone for any young adult, but for those with PANS/PANDAS, this journey demands unique preparation and understanding. In this illuminating conversation, Dr. Susan Manfull welcomes Sheila Gauch, P...
S2 E16: Dr. Andrew Baumel: One Pediatrician's Journey to Include Mild Cases of PANDAS/PANS into his Everyday Practice
Dr. Andrew Baumel's story reveals how curiosity, compassion, and clinical observation can lead to breakthrough care for children suffering from immune-mediated neuropsychiatric disorders.After 18 years as a traditional pediatrician, Dr....
S2 E15: Science Under Siege: A conversation with Dr. Uğur Akcan and Dr. Dritan Agalliu about PANDAS Research, NIH Cuts, and the Power of Community
How does a common strep infection become a brain disorder? Dr. Uğur Akcan's journey from Istanbul to the cutting edge of PANDAS research with Dr. Dritan Agalliu reveals the fascinating intersection of immune system and brain function that could...
S2 E14: When Everything Changes: Jen's Journey with PANS/PANDAS and the Fight to Be Believed
In this powerful episode of Untangling PANDAS and PANS, host Susan Manfull, PhD sits down with Jen, a resilient young woman whose health took a devastating and mysterious turn in her early twenties. From being taken out of work on a st...
S2 E13: Understanding the Role of a Psychologist in PANDAS and PANS: A Conversation with Dr. Sarah O'Dor
In this illuminating conversation, Dr. Sarah O'Dor—Harvard instructor and Director of Research at Massachusetts General Hospital's PANDAS Clinic—reveals how strep infections and other triggers can cause sudden, dramatic psychiatric symptoms in ...
S2 E12: The Neuropathology of PANDAS/PANS: Dr. Brent Harris Talks about the POND Brain Bank
This podcast episode features an interview with Dr. Brent Harris, the Director of Neuropathology at Georgetown University where he wears many hats, including overseeing the Georgetown Brain Bank. In 2020, he accepted the brain of Alex Manfull w...
S2 E11: Physician-Scientist Herb Lachman, MD, Talks about Recent Genetic Observations in PANS: DNA Damage Response Genes
Dr Herb Lachman is a physician, behavioral geneticist, and professor at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York City. In his 44 years on the faculty, he has studied the molecular basis of schizophrenia, autism, and the broad c...
S2 E10: Dr. Juliette Madan Explains the Importance of Epidemiological Research on PANDAS & PANS
Juliette C. Madan, MD, MS wears many hats. Dr. Madan is an Associate Professor of Pediatrics, Psychiatry, Epidemiology, and Quantitative Biomedical Data Science at Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth. She is the Clinical Director of the Chil...
S1 E9: Dr. Warris Bokhari Vows to Make Healthcare Equitable One Unjust Insurance Denial at a Time
Dr. Warris Bokhari, CEO and co-founder of the insurance appeals platform Claimable, discusses how the product is helping patients with PANDAS and PANS diagnoses fight denied healthcare claims. He explains the process of using Claimable to...
S1 E8: Dr. Pawel Kiela Discusses the Gut Microbiome, Microglia, and PANDAS
Pawel Kiela, DVM, PhD currently holds the rank of Professor and has a PANDA endowed chair in Autoimmune Disease Research in the Department of Pediatrics at the University of Arizona Medical School in Tucson. Dr. Kiela is an integral part of the...
S1 E7: Dr. Tim Ubhi Talks about Treating PANDAS/PANS in the UK at his new London PANS Clinic
Susan Manfull, PhD crossed the pond to speak with Dr. Tim Ubhi, consultant paediatrician and fellow of the United Kingdom’s Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health. Dr. Tim, as his patients call him, has dedicated his life to childr...
S1 E6: The Story Behind AB2105, California's Bill to Require Insurance Coverage for PANDAS/PANS Treatment
In this episode of Untangling PANDAS & PANS, Susan Manfull, PhD talks with April Ronay, founder of California Coalition for PANS/PANDAS (aka, Cal-Coalition), and Shari Strulson, one of the founding members of Cal-Coalition. Both ar...
S1 E5: Earl Harley, MD Talks About How Otolaryngologists Can Assist in the Treatment of PANDAS
Earl Harley, MD, FACS, FAAPS is a highly regarded pediatric otolaryngologist (Ears, Nose, and Throat doctor or ENT) at Georgetown University Medical Center and a beloved assistant professor at the Medical School. Dr. Harley is widely respected ...
S1 E4: Beth Latimer, MD Discusses How the Understanding of PANDAS has Progressed: It is Not Solely a Pediatric Disorder
M. Elizabeth “Beth” Latimer, MD is a pioneer in the field of autoimmune encephalitis and is known across the country and in Europe for her expertise in treating PANDAS and PANS. She received her medical degree from Tufts University School of Me...
S1 E3 Part 1: Dr. Shannon Delaney Talks About What Do Tick-Borne Diseases Have to Do with PANS?
Dr. Shannon Delaney, a psychiatrist with expertise in PANDAS/PANS, Lyme, and other vector-borne diseases, talks with Susan Manfull about how these complex disorders present in children and adults. Much of what she came to learn about Lyme came ...
S1 E3 Part 2: Dr. Shannon Delaney Talks About What Do Tick-Borne Diseases Have to Do with PANS?
In Part 2, the discussion with Dr. Shannon Delaney continues with a focus on the diagnosis and treatment of Lyme and other tick-borne diseases.Recorded May 13, 2024
S1 E3 Part 3: Dr. Shannon Delaney Talks About What Do Tick-Borne Diseases Have to Do with PANS?
In Part 3, the discussion with Dr. Shannon Delaney continues on her soon-to-be-released study in Frontiers in Psychiatry Journal about the prevalence of Bartonella in patients diagnosed with Bartonella.Recorded May 13, 2024
S1 E2: The Intersection of Strep, Intractable OCD, Psoriasis, and IL-17: A Conversation with Kyle Williams, MD, PhD and Andrew
In episode two, Susan Manfull interviews Dr. Kyle Williams, Director of the Pediatric Neuropsychiatry and Immunology Program at Massachusetts General Hospital, and Andrew about the potential link between strep, psoriasis, psoriatic arthritis, a...
S1 E2 Bonus: The Intersection of Strep, Intractable OCD, Psoriasis, and IL-17: Continued conversation with Kyle Williams, MD, PhD and Andrew
It seemed our conversation from Episode 2 was left dangling so we continued talking. If you would like to hear a wee bit more, listen to this bonus content which captures most of that conversation, mostly musings about navigating the medical sy...