Key points are not available for this paper at this time.
Several converging lines of evidence suggest that some behavioral and neurological abnormalities of childhood may be mediated through antineuronal antibodies.1-3 These antineuronal antibodies appear to arise in response to group A beta-hemolytic streptococcal (GABHS) infections and to cross-react with cells within the central nervous system (CNS).4 Based on clinical observations of children with Sydenham's chorea, Tourette's syndrome (TS), and/or obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), we hypothesize that neuroimmunological dysfunction secondary to anti-neuronal antibodies may result in behavioral disturbances, such as anxiety, emotional lability, obsessive compulsive symptoms, hyperactivity, and sleep disturbances; and neurological abnormalities, such as motor and phonic tics, ballismus, chorea, and choreiform movements.
Swedo et al. (Tue,) studied this question.