Association of Streptococcal Throat Infection With Mental DisordersTesting Key Aspects of the PANDAS Hypothesis in a Nationwide Study
Oklovska S, Vesteegaard CH, Hammer B, et al. JAMA Psychiatry. Published online May 24, 2017. doi:10.1001/jamapsychiatry.2017.0995
This large study from Denmark showed that children who had streptococcal throat infection were at increased risk of developing mental disorders, particularly OCD and tics. Interestingly, children who had non-streptococcal throat infections were also at increased rates of mental disorders, leading the authors to suggest the use of a “paediatric acute-onset neuropsychiatric syndrome” to complement the current diagnosis of PANDAS.