Testing: Infections and immune response trigger neuropsychiatric symptoms 

Dr. Tania Dempsey: Utilization of the Cunningham Panel, an antineuronal antibody test for neuropsychiatric symptoms.
“I think the Cunningham Panel™ is useful [at] really being able to look at the immune response that’s happening in the nervous system.”
TRANSCRIPT:
So, I’ll use the [Cunningham] Panel™ in a few different ways. I’ll think about [using] it in patients with neuropsychiatric symptoms. It could be in kids but I’ve certainly used it in adults, as well. So, these are people who have either an acute exacerbation or new symptoms that involve the nervous system and the brain.
And where I think the Cunningham Panel™ is useful is really being able to look at the immune response that’s happening in the nervous system. And when we see these elevated antibodies in the nervous system, then that’s supportive of this process that’s going on. And that will help me come up with a treatment protocol for patients.
So, the way I’ll look at the test is - there are 4 antibodies that we’re looking at specifically. These are antibodies specific to, let’s say, “receptors” in the nervous system. And that tells me if there are lots of antibodies, then I get a sense that there’s an acute situation happening with the immune system.
There’s one marker that’s used in the test. It’s called the CaMKinase II. And I’ll use that to understand whether there’s some chronicity happening. So, if that level is high as well, that tells me there’s an acute on chronic or just a chronic situation.
So, I think you can use - and there’s data to support this - you can use these different antibodies and these different levels to really understand what may be going on at a deeper level.

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