February 9-11, 2022

We are excited to announce that we held our second conference, Autoimmune Encephalopathy Secondary to Infectious Disease: A New Perspective on the Pathogenetic Interaction of the Immune system, Infection, Stress and Chronic Disease, on Feb 9th – 11th, 2022.

There are over 20 million Americans suffering from a group of chronic disabling disorders analogous to the confused interplay of language described in the biblical Tower of Babel, who are diagnosed without a clear elucidation of pathophysiologic mechanisms. Fibromyalgia, Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/ Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS), Neuropsychiatric illnesses, Post-Lyme Syndrome and most recently the post COVID-19 long haul syndrome are but a few of these conditions. Research has demonstrated that common to many of these conditions is dysregulation of the immune system resulting from an infectious insult. Multiple questions present themselves in patients suffering with these disorders such: Why does not everyone who suffers an infectious insult develop immune dysregulation? Given the high prevalence of infections in childhood, why do only a subset of children develop PANS/PANDAS? Genetics is certainly one factor, but we are now learning that epigenetics may be another piece of the puzzle.

2022 Conference Recordings

Unlimited access to the 2022 Conference recordings is available for purchase for $75.

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The goals of this conference were three-fold:

This program was jointly sponsored by the International Center for Interdisciplinary Studies of Immunology (ICISI) at Georgetown University Medical Center and The Foundation for Total Recovery. It was held virtually and open to both professionals and to the public.

  • First, we explored the role of genetic and epigenetic factors that predispose an individual for immune dysregulation.

  • Secondly, we analyzed the current evidence for infection-mediated immune dysregulation as it relates to Fibromyalgia, ME/CFS, neuropsychiatric illnesses, Post-Lyme syndrome, PANS/PANDAS and the post COVID-19 long haul syndrome.

  • Thirdly, we examined current and new diagnostic testing procedures and treatment options for these conditions.

Background

In the United States, over 70 million Americans suffer with debilitating diseases for which the diagnosis and treatment are highly controversial and/or largely ineffective (CDC Report, 2016). These diseases are generally classified under the broad term of “Chronic Pain.” Increasing evidence suggests that the disease process in a number of controversial conditions like PANDAS/PANS, POTS, Post Lyme Syndrome, ME/CFS, as well as in more accepted chronic pain diagnoses such as Fibromyalgia, CRPS, and psychiatric conditions are all driven by immunologic mechanisms. Indeed, it is common for many of these diseases to be comorbid, further suggesting a common pathophysiologic process. There is early evidence of involvement of both the innate as well as the acquired immune systems in all of these conditions. There is also increasing correlative, if not causative, evidence of infectious agents as the initiators of immunologic processes that play a role in these diseases. Two of the proposed mechanisms by which infectious agents may cause autoimmunity include epigenetic mechanisms in the case of EBV and molecular mimicry in conditions such as Strep bacteria and Lyme Disease.

For clinicians, the challenge is trying to find solutions for patients suffering with an array of symptoms for which the diagnosis and treatments are generally controversial and/or ineffective, and treatments that might prove useful, are denied to many patients because of economic constraints.

Too often, clinicians and researchers are siloed in their approach to these diseases. Clinicians, especially in academia, may only see patients who have been so pre-selected with conditions such as ME/CFS, that they do not see patients with comorbidities such as Fibromyalgia or Depression. Consequently, the correlations among these disease conditions may be missed. While pediatricians are beginning to accept the diagnosis of PANDAS, other infections such as EBV and Lyme as etiologic agents of the condition called PANS, remain highly controversial. According to the NIH, PANDAS rarely occurs in children older than 12. Is this in fact true, or does the presentation of the disease differ as the brain matures?

SYMPOSIUM ADVISORY COMMITTEE