Immune Dysfunction in Autism
Recent studies suggest that ASD is associated with immune system dysfunction. In individuals with ASD, inflammatory cytokines are often elevated in the blood and brain. Children with ASD sometimes have autoantibodies to brain tissue as well as to non-brain tissue such as the folate receptor alpha (FRα) and mitochondria. Another recent area of interest is in the overlap between ASD and Pediatric Autoimmune Neuropsychiatric Disorders Associated with Streptococcal Infection (PANDAS) and Pediatric Acute-Onset Neuropsychiatric Syndrome (PANS).
This page contains a selection of papers and other resources on this topic. You can also search this site and all types of content by creating a custom filter.
Published Articles
Results are displayed in descending order beginning with most recent publications.
Folate Receptor Alpha Autoantibodies in the Pediatric Acute-Onset Neuropsychiatric Syndrome (PANS) and Pediatric Autoimmune Neuropsychiatric Disorders Associated with Streptococcal Infections (PANDAS) Population
Wells, L.; O’Hara, N.; Frye, R.E.; Hullavard, N.; Smith, E. J. Pers. Med. 2024, 14, 166.
Synchrony 2022: Catalyzing Research and Treatments to Benefit Individuals with Neurodevelopmental Disorders including Autism Spectrum Disorders
Nanda, H.; Frye, R.E. Synchrony 2022: Catalyzing Research and Treatments to Benefit Individuals with Neurodevelopmental Disorders including Autism Spectrum Disorders. J. Pers. Med. 2023, 13, 490. https://doi.org/10.3390/jpm13030490
Long COVID Syndrome Presenting as Neuropsychiatric Exacerbations in Autism Spectrum Disorder: Insights for Treatment
Jyonouchi, H.; Geng, L.; Rossignol, D.A.; Frye, R.E. Long COVID Syndrome Presenting as Neuropsychiatric Exacerbations in Autism Spectrum Disorder: Insights for Treatment. J. Pers. Med. 2022, 12, 1815. https://doi.org/10.3390/jpm12111815
A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Immunoglobulin G Abnormalities and the Therapeutic Use of Intravenous Immunoglobulins (IVIG) in Autism Spectrum Disorder
Rossignol DA, Frye RE. J Pers Med. 2021 May 30;11(6):488. doi: 10.3390/jpm11060488. PMID: 34070826; PMCID: PMC8229039.
Physiological mediators of prenatal environmental influences in autism spectrum disorder
Frye RE, Cakir J, Rose S, Palmer RF, Austin C, Curtin P. Bioessays. 2021 Sep;43(9):e2000307. doi: 10.1002/bies.202000307. Epub 2021 Jul 14. PMID: 34260745.
Evaluation of the Cunningham Panel™ in pediatric autoimmune neuropsychiatric disorder associated with streptococcal infection (PANDAS) and pediatric acute-onset neuropsychiatric syndrome (PANS): Changes in antineuronal antibody titers parallel changes in patient symptoms
Shimasaki C, Frye RE, Trifiletti R, Cooperstock M, Kaplan G, Melamed I, Greenberg R, Katz A, Fier E, Kem D, Traver D, Dempsey T, Latimer ME, Cross A, Dunn JP, Bentley R, Alvarez K, Reim S, Appleman J. Evaluation of the Cunningham Panel™ in pediatric autoimmune neuropsychiatric disorder associated with streptococcal infection (PANDAS) and pediatric acute-onset neuropsychiatric syndrome (PANS): Changes in antineuronal antibody titers parallel changes in patient symptoms. J Neuroimmunol. 2020 Feb 15;339:577138. doi: 10.1016/j.jneuroim.2019.577138. Epub 2019 Dec 15. PMID: 31884258.
Inheritance of HLA-Cw7 Associated With Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)
Harville T, Rhodes-Clark B, Bennuri SC, Delhey L, Slattery J, Tippett M, Wynne R, Rose S, Kahler S, Frye RE. Inheritance of HLA-Cw7 Associated With Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Front Psychiatry. 2019 Sep 11;10:612. doi: 10.3389/fpsyt.2019.00612. PMID: 31572230; PMCID: PMC6749146.
Association With Monocyte Cytokine Profiles and Mitochondrial Respiration
Jyonouchi H, Geng L, Toruner GA, Rose S, Bennuri SC, Frye RE. Serum microRNAs in ASD: Front Psychiatry. 2019 Sep 10;10:614. doi: 10.3389/fpsyt.2019.00614. PMID: 31551826; PMCID: PMC6748029.
Serum microRNAs in ASD: Association With Monocyte Cytokine Profiles and Mitochondrial Respiration
Jyonouchi H, Geng L, Toruner GA, Rose S, Bennuri SC, Frye RE. Serum microRNAs in ASD: Association With Monocyte Cytokine Profiles and Mitochondrial Respiration. Front Psychiatry. 2019 Sep 10;10:614. doi: 10.3389/fpsyt.2019.00614. PMID: 31551826; PMCID: PMC6748029.
Reliability of the Cunningham Panel
Frye RE, Shimasaki C. Reliability of the Cunningham Panel. Translational Psychiatry. 2019 Apr;9(1):129. DOI: 10.1038/s41398-019-0462-1. PMID: 30962420; PMCID: PMC6453973.
Variations in Mitochondrial Respiration Differ in IL-1ß/IL-10 Ratio Based Subgroups in Autism Spectrum Disorders
Jyonouchi H, Geng L, Rose S, Bennuri SC, Frye RE. Variations in Mitochondrial Respiration Differ in IL-1ß/IL-10 Ratio Based Subgroups in Autism Spectrum Disorders. Front Psychiatry. 2019 Feb 20;10:71. doi: 10.3389/fpsyt.2019.00071. PMID: 30842746; PMCID: PMC6391925.
Intravenous immunoglobulin for the treatment of autoimmune encephalopathy in children with autism
Connery K, Tippett M, Delhey LM, Rose S, Slattery JC, Kahler SG, Hahn J, Kruger U, Cunningham MW, Shimasaki C, Frye RE. Transl Psychiatry. 2018 Aug 10;8(1):148. doi: 10.1038/s41398-018-0214-7. PMID: 30097568; PMCID: PMC6086890.
Modulation of Immunological Pathways in Autistic and Neurotypical Lymphoblastoid Cell Lines by the Enteric Microbiome Metabolite Propionic Acid
Frye RE, Rose S, Chacko J, Wynne R, Bennuri SC, Slattery JC, Tippett M, Delhey L, Melnyk S, Kahler SG, MacFabe DF. Transl Psychiatry. 2016 Oct 25;6(10):e927. doi: 10.1038/tp.2016.189. PMID: 27779624; PMCID: PMC5290345.
Modulation of mitochondrial function by the microbiome metabolite propionic acid in autism and control cell lines
Frye RE, Rose S, Chacko J, Wynne R, Bennuri SC, Slattery JC, Tippett M, Delhey L, Melnyk S, Kahler SG, MacFabe DF. Transl Psychiatry. 2016 Oct 25;6(10):e927. doi: 10.1038/tp.2016.189. PMID: 27779624; PMCID: PMC5290345.
Sudden Onset Complex Tic Associated with Streptococcal Infection in a Neonate: The First Case of Neonatal PANDAS
Frye, R.E. N A J Med Sci. 2015;8(2):92-95
Evidence linking oxidative stress, mitochondrial dysfunction, and inflammation in the brain of individuals with autism.
Rossignol, D.A., Frye, R.E. Front Physiol. 2014; 22;5:150.
A review of research trends in physiological abnormalities in autism spectrum disorders: immune dysregulation, inflammation, oxidative stress, mitochondrial dysfunction and environmental toxicant exposures
Rossignol DA, Frye RE. A review of research trends in physiological abnormalities in autism spectrum disorders: immune dysregulation, inflammation, oxidative stress, mitochondrial dysfunction and environmental toxicant exposures. Mol Psychiatry. 2012 Apr;17(4):389-401. doi: 10.1038/mp.2011.165. Epub 2011 Dec 6. PMID: 22143005; PMCID: PMC3317062.
Other Resources
Folate Receptor Alpha Autoantibodies in the Pediatric Acute-Onset Neuropsychiatric Syndrome (PANS) and Pediatric Autoimmune Neuropsychiatric Disorders Associated with Streptococcal Infections (PANDAS) Population
Wells, L.; O’Hara, N.; Frye, R.E.; Hullavard, N.; Smith, E. J. Pers. Med. 2024, 14, 166.
Figuring Out the Biological Mechanism Behind PANS/PANDAS
Title: Childhood Onset Neurobehavioral Syndromes: The Overlap Between Immunologic and Metabolic Etiologies
Date: August 8, 2019
Location: Lighthouse Complex Care Ltd., Neuroimmune Day
Presented by: Dr. Richard Frye, MD PhD
PANS and Autism
Title: PANS and Autism
Date: Jun 24, 2019
Location: Neuroimmune.org Online
Presented by: Dr. Richard Frye, MD PhD
Can Immunotherapy Treat Autism?
By Barbara Geller
Posted: August 30, 2018
Watch Video
Health Matters: Shedding Light on PANS and PANDAS
By Susanne Brunner
Posted: July 26, 2017
Read Article
Dr. Frye Discusses Autism Spectrum Disorders, PANDAS and PANS
Title: Dr. Frye Discusses Autism Spectrum Disorders, PANDAS and PANS
Date: July 1, 2016
Location: Moleculera Labs
Presented by: Dr. Richard Frye, MD PhD
Autoimmune Brain Panel
Autoimmune Brain Panel
This test measures the levels of four proteins called autoantibodies and the activity of one enzyme protein. The four autoantibodies are believed to attach to nerve cells in the brain and cause them to function abnormally while the activity of the enzyme known as CamKinase II is believe to interfere with the function of nerve cells if its activity is too high. These measurements are complicated to interpret so you should discuss them with you doctor.