Inflammation in Tic Disorders and Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder: Are PANS and PANDAS a Path Forward?

This review and commentary is the product of an invited lecture called Autoimmunity: PANS/PANDAS presented at the 2018 Neurobiology of Diseases in Children Symposium in Chicago, IL. The talk addressed clinical and scientific questions and recently published data. At this time, among highly experienced and respected clinicians and researchers spanning relevant disciplines, there is substantial controversy regarding a role for inflammation in producing tics and obsessive-compulsive disorder. This commentary summarizes these controversies, discusses reasons for opposing views on best clinical practices, and concludes with suggestions for pathways forward.