Blepharospasm Bulletin Board

It is an interesting theory that something like this is the culprit in some cases of Blepharospasm. Isolated individuals have had an acute onset of symptoms with Primary Blepharospasm.

Shirley in New Mexico

From NIH....
http://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/publications/pandas/index.shtml

Overview
What is PANDAS?
PANDAS is short for Pediatric Autoimmune Neuropsychiatric Disorders Associated with Streptococcal Infections. A child may be diagnosed with PANDAS when:
Obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) and/or tic disorders suddenly appear following a strep infection (such as strep throat or scarlet fever); or
The symptoms of OCD or tic symptoms suddenly become worse following a strep infection.

The symptoms are usually dramatic, happen “overnight and out of the blue,” and can include motor and/or vocal tics, obsessions, and/or compulsions. In addition to these symptoms, children may also become moody, irritable, experience anxiety attacks, or show concerns about separating from parents or loved ones.
What causes PANDAS?
The strep bacteria is a very ancient organism which survives in its human host by hiding from the immune system as long as possible. It does this by putting molecules on its cell wall that look nearly identical to molecules found on the child’s heart, joints, skin, and brain tissues. This is called “molecular mimicry” and allows the strep bacteria to evade detection for a time.

However, the molecules on the strep bacteria are eventually recognized as foreign to the body and the child’s immune system reacts to them by producing antibodies. Because of the molecular mimicry, the antibodies react not only with the strep molecules, but also with the human host molecules that were mimicked.

The cross-reactive antibodies then trigger an immune reaction that “attacks” the mimicked molecules in the child’s own tissues. Studies at the NIMH and elsewhere showed that some cross-reactive “anti-brain” antibodies target the brain, causing OCD, tics, and the other neuropsychiatric symptoms of PANDAS.
Could an adult develop PANDAS?
PANDAS is considered a pediatric disorder and typically first appears in childhood from age 3 to puberty. Reactions to strep infections are rare after age 12, but the investigators recognize that PANDAS could occur (rarely) among adolescents. It is unlikely that someone would experience these post-strep neuropsychiatric symptoms for the first time as an adult, but it has not been fully studied.