317: Resiliency Radio with Dr. Jill: PANS & PANDAS – The Path to Recovery with Dr. Melissa Jones

In this episode of Resiliency Radio with Dr. Jill, Dr. Jill Carnahan speaks with Dr. Melissa Jones about the growing epidemic of PANS, PANDAS, neuroinflammation, and autoimmune brain disorders in children and adults. Dr. Jones shares how her journey from conventional pediatric neurology into functional medicine transformed the way she approaches complex neuropsychiatric conditions. Together, they explore the root causes behind sudden-onset OCD, anxiety, tics, behavioral changes, and neurological symptoms linked to infections, immune dysfunction, mold toxicity, and gut inflammation. This episode provides hope for families navigating these often misunderstood conditions and offers practical insight into how a root-cause, functional medicine approach can support recovery and healing. 🔑 5 Key Discussions ① 🧠 Understanding PANS & PANDAS ⇨ PANDAS occurs when infections like strep trigger autoimmune inflammation in the brain. ⇨ PANS describes sudden-onset neuropsychiatric symptoms triggered by infections, toxins, or immune dysregulation. ② ⚡ The Brain-Immune Connection ⇨ Molecular mimicry can cause antibodies to mistakenly attack the basal ganglia. ⇨ Neuroinflammation may lead to OCD, tics, anxiety, mood changes, and behavioral regression. ③ 🦠 Infections, Mold & Environmental Triggers ⇨ Strep, Mycoplasma, viruses, mold exposure, and toxins can all contribute to neuroimmune activation. ⇨ Chronic inflammatory responses often involve multiple overlapping triggers. ④ 🌱 The Gut-Brain Axis ⇨ Gut dysbiosis and intestinal permeability can worsen immune dysfunction and brain inflammation. ⇨ Healing the gut is a key part of restoring neurological and immune balance. ⑤ 🔬 Functional Medicine Approaches to Recovery ⇨ Testing for infections, inflammation, mold, and toxins helps uncover root causes. ⇨ Treatments may include immune modulation, gut healing, antimicrobial support, and personalized therapies. ⭐ Key Takeaways 🔹 PANS and PANDAS are real neuroinflammatory conditions linked to immune dysfunction. 🔹 Sudden behavioral or neurological changes after illness should never be ignored. 🔹 Mold, infections, gut health, and toxins can all contribute to brain inflammation. 🔹 Functional medicine offers tools to identify and address underlying triggers. 🔹 Recovery is possible with a comprehensive root-cause approach. 👩‍⚕️ Guest Biography Dr. Melissa Jones is a Board-Certified neurologist with special qualifications in Child Neurology and advanced training in functional medicine and neuroinflammatory disorders. She specializes in treating conditions including PANS/PANDAS, CIRS (Chronic Inflammatory Response Syndrome), mold toxicity, regressive autism, autoimmune encephalitis, ADHD, anxiety, and depression using a whole-body, root-cause approach. Dr. Jones combines conventional neurology with functional medicine to help children and adults recover from complex neuroimmune conditions. 🔗 Website: www.aiopwellness.com  🔗 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/allinonepeacewellness  🔗 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@allinonepeace  🔗 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Allinonepeace  🔗 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/All-In-One-Peace/100093045876533/?mibextid=LQQJ4d