Can Strep Throat Cause Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder?

Fox News ^ | November 08, 2010 | By Dr. Keith Ablow

[LucyT]

For years, researchers have wondered about a connection between children getting strep throat and later showing symptoms of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD).

Obsessive-compulsive disorder is a frequently debilitating condition affecting millions of Americans in which those afflicted think repetitive thoughts they don’t want to or perform compulsive, ritualistic behaviors they wish they didn’t have to— ..."

The thinking has been that strep throat bacteria trigger the production of antibodies that end up not only targeting strep, but “mistakenly” acting on an enzyme in the brain, which is involved in making brain chemical messengers. In so doing, the antibodies to the strep throat infection pathologically alter the balance of these chemical messengers.

[Larousse2]

Thanks for the PING!

[Dasaji]

Anyone interested in FURTHER info on this topic, please search P.A.N.D.A.S - it absolutely makes the connection of neurological disorders (OCD, tics) to strep antibodies.

[azishot]

Many children exposed to strep (and infected by it) do not complain of a sore throat.

Forgive my ignorance, but neither I, my husband or children have ever had strep. Is it similar to tonsillitis? I always thought strep throat caused a BAD sore throat.

[Alamo-Girl]

Thanks for the ping!

[Marie]

I’m a little skeptical of this one. Strep is such a common infection - hasn’t most everyone been exposed? I would think that this theory is along the same lines as, “Everyone who’s ever had a heart attack has drank water. Most within 24 hours of their heart attack...”

[metmom]

Thanks for holding this ping list. You ping to some of the most interesting threads.

[null and void]

Sorry about the double ping...quirky server.

I thought it was an OCD thing...

[Smokin' Joe]

(8^D)

Actually, nully, I have had more experience with sleep deprivation than I ever intended to, and noticed a 'fatigue point' where behaviour is similar to OCD after 24-36 hours with less than three hours of sleep, or a protracted period with 3-4 hours of sleep (total) each 24. I wonder if fatigue/stress can't produce similar but more temporary conditions.

[Smokin' Joe]

You’re welcome, metmom. I have help, really, because other FReepers ping me.

[Smokin' Joe]

You’re Welcome, Alamo-Girl

[Horkster]

Isn’t anyone else bothered by the fact that the letters in OCD are not in their proper alphabetical order? Or is it just me? :)

[Madame Dufarge]

Glad you noticed that too.

For a minute there I thought I might be crazy.

[Dengar01]

I had strep throat as a child but I think I’ve always been OCD. Mine isn’t a severe case I just check the locks multiple times. Make sure stuff is in the right place. I go nutty when people move stuff without asking me first because I like everything to be as is.

[SunkenCiv]

“I wonder if ‘Civ ever had strep throat,” everyone wondered.

Thanks LucyT.

[21twelve]

Ya know - I always think how blessed I am to have such great, wonderful, and healthy kids. And then I pause to think of all the things that can still happen to them.

Add one more. My one daughter is the strep carrier, and the other “gets” it. After about the third time doing the tests, it is just a given that they both have it (twins).

Hard to believe these messy teen girls could become OCD - I hope not. (Although a touch more organization would be nice!)

[LucyT]

PANDAS is an abbreviation for Pediatric Autoimmune Neuropsychiatric Disorders Associated with Streptococcal infections.

This diagnosis is used to describe a set of children who have a rapid onset of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and/or tic disorders such as Tourette syndrome (TS), following group A beta-hemolytic streptococcal (GABHS) infections such as “strep throat” and scarlet fever.

The proposed link between infection and these disorders is an autoimmune reaction, where antibodies produced by the infection interfere with neuronal cells.

[snip]

According to the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), children with PANDAS are clinically identified by five criteria. “They are:

1. Presence of obsessive–compulsive disorder and/or a tic disorder
2. Pediatric onset of symptoms (age 3 years to puberty)
3. Episodic course of symptom severity
4. Association with group A Beta-hemolytic streptococcal infection (a positive throat culture for strep. or history of Scarlet Fever)
5. Association with neurological abnormalities (motoric hyperactivity, or adventitious movements, such as choreiform movements).”[1]

The children usually have dramatic, “overnight” onset of symptoms, including motor or vocal tics, obsessions, and/or compulsions.[1]

Some studies have shown no acute exacerbations associated with streptococcal infections among clinically defined PANDAS subjects[8][9] whilst others have shown a profound one.[10][11]

In addition to an OCD or tic disorder diagnosis, children may have other symptoms associated with exacerbations such as emotional lability, enuresis, anxiety, and deterioration in handwriting.[11] In the PANDAS model, this abrupt onset is thought to be preceded by a strep throat infection.

As the clinical spectrum of PANDAS appears to resemble that of Tourette’s syndrome, some researchers hypothesize that PANDAS and Tourette’s may be associated; this idea is controversial and a focus for current research.[3][12]

Concerns have been raised that PANDAS may be overdiagnosed, as nearly one-third of patients diagnosed with PANDAS by community physicians did not meet the criteria when examined by specialists, suggesting that the PANDAS diagnosis is conferred by community physicians without conclusive evidence.[13]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PANDAS

[Smokin' Joe]

Ping to post number 36

Thanks, LucyT!

[Judith Anne]

Very interesting information about PANDAS

[nicolezmomma]

Dr. Amy Yasko, who is researching methylation cycle gene breaks and how they relate to autism and other disorders, has found a connection with strep and OCD in those following her protocol. Many autistic kids (and others with similar gene breaks) have OCD. Treatment of strep often helps. She has found that the sinuses can act as a reservoir for the strep and it continually reinfects the gut. Some have found xclear nasal spray helpful as well as IP6.

For those interested, her web site is http://www.dramyyasko.com and the newsgroup for those following her protocol is http://www.ch3nutrigenomics.com

[Alamo-Girl]

Thanks for the ping!