How PANS and PANDAS affect children across diverse communities
Feasibility of a study to determine the incidence, spectrum, course and outcome of Pediatric Acute-Onset Neuropsychiatric Syndrome (PANS) in a diverse group of children
This project will see whether children with sudden-onset PANS or PANDAS can be identified and followed across different U.S. communities to find how often it happens and how they recover.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R21 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Wisconsin-Madison NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Madison, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11238876 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
Researchers plan to set up a way to find and enroll children who develop sudden obsessive-compulsive behaviors, severe food restriction, or tics in several geographically and economically different areas of the U.S. Enrolled children will receive detailed clinical evaluations, and the team may collect medical records and biological samples while tracking symptoms and treatments over time. The main goal is to test whether prospective, community-based identification and follow-up is feasible and can produce reliable estimates of incidence, clinical features, and outcomes. If feasible, this approach would support a larger registry and future studies to look for causes, biomarkers, and better treatments.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Children who have a sudden onset of obsessive-compulsive symptoms, new severe food restriction, or new tics combined with other neuropsychiatric changes would be ideal candidates.
Not a fit: Children without a sudden onset of these specific symptoms, adults, or those living outside participating study areas are unlikely to be included or to benefit directly from this feasibility project.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could help doctors recognize PANS/PANDAS earlier, give families clearer expectations about outcomes, and support future research into causes and treatments.
How similar studies have performed: Most prior reports are retrospective or come from specialized referral centers, so prospective, community-based identification of PANS/PANDAS is relatively new and not yet well established.
Where this research is happening
Madison, United States
- University of Wisconsin-Madison — Madison, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Wald, Ellen — University of Wisconsin-Madison
- Study coordinator: Wald, Ellen
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.