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NEURO-COGNITIVE LYME DISEASE

Lyme disease patients can experience symptoms such attention problems, short-term memory loss, depression, panic attacks, personality changes, mood swings, and/or learning disabilities. Literature on these manifestations is found below.

Distinct pattern of cognitive impairment noted in study of Lyme patients
by Marian Rissenberg, Ph.D. & Susan Chambers, M.D.
The Lyme Times, Vol. 20, January-March 1998, pp. 29 -32
SUMMARY: The following items are covered: Cognitive Characteristics of Chronic Lyme Encephalopathy, Neuropsychological deficits, Possible Pathophysiologic Mechanisms of Cognitive Impairment in Lyme Disease, Clinical Impressions and Implications for Diagnosis and Treatment in Chronic Lyme Disease, Cognitive impairment in Lyme disease: specific functions and the impact or deficits.
Shadowland of the Mind
by Pamela Weintraub
SUMMARY: Shadowland is part one of a series on Neurological Lyme Disease. The series addresses issues of patients being stigmatized with psychiatric labels. Also see Part Two, Part Three, and An Infection Can Change Your Personality.
Brochure: What Psychiatrists Should Know About Lyme Disease (pdf file)
by ILADS
SUMMARY: This printable brochure outlines information that psychiatrists need to be aware of, such as when to suspect Lyme disease and how to treat it.
The Role of Neuropsychological Testing in Children with Lyme Disease (pdf file)
by Leo Shea, Ph.D. and Judith Leventhal, Ph.D.
SUMMARY: Provides a comprehensive review of neuropsych testing and its benefits for Lyme patients, particularly children.
The Neuropsychiatric Assessment of Lyme Disease
by Robert Bransfield, M.D.
SUMMARY: "From a combination of clinical experience, journal review, and discussion with colleagues, a structured interview was developed" to assist in the overall clinical assessment when late state Lyme disease is suspected. Additional material is available at the same website. SEE: Mental Health and Illness .Com
Featured Research on Lyme Encephalopathy
Columbia University Lyme Website
SUMMARY: A commentary on the study "A Randomized, Placebo-Controlled Trial of Repeated IV Antibiotic Therapy for Lyme Encephalopathy," which was published in the journal Neurology in March 2008.
Bibliography of Neuropsychiatric Lyme
A collection of references to medical/scientific literature on psychiatry and Lyme/tick-borne disease. One item worth obtaining the full-text of is "The Neuropsychiatric Manifestations of Lyme Borreliosis".

Full Text Peer-Reviewed Articles

The following articles, listed alphabetically, are available online at no charge. Additional peer-reviewed articles are listed in the bibliography above, and some of those may be worth obtaining through your medical library.
A Controlled Study of Cognitive Deficits in Children With Chronic Lyme Disease (pdf file)
Tager, Fallon, et. al.
J Neuropsychiatry Clin Neurosci 13:500-507, November 2001
Carbamazepine in the Treatment of Lyme Disease Induced Hyperacusis
Nields, Fallon, Jastreboff
J Neuropsychiatry Clin Neurosci 11:97-99, February 1999
Functional Brain Imaging and Neuropsychological Testing in Lyme Disease (pdf file)
by Fallon, Das, Plutchok, Tager, Liegner, Van Heertum
CID 1997; 25:S57-63
(Requires Adobe Acrobat)
Higher Prevalence of Antibodies to Borrelia Burgdorferi in Psychiatric Patients Than in Healthy Subjects
by Hajek, et. el.
Am J Psychiatry 159:297-301, February 2002
Late-Stage Neuropsychiatric Lyme Borreliosis: Differential Diagnosis and Treatment
by Fallon, et. al.
Psychosomatics 1995;36:295-300
Lyme Disease: A Neuropsychiatric Illness
by Fallon, Nields
Am J Psychiatry 151:11, November 1994 pp.1571-1580
Musical Hallucinations in Patients with Lyme Disease
by Stricker, Winger
Southern Medical Journal 2003; 96(7):711-715
The Neuropsychiatric Manifestations of Lyme borreliosis
by Fallon, Nields, Burrascano, Liegner, DelBene, Liebowitz
Psychiatr Q 1992 Spring;63(1):95-117
**RECOMMENDED ITEM
The Physician as a Patient: Lyme Disease, Ehrlichiosis, and Babesiosis: A Recounting of a Personal Experience with Tick-Borne Diseases
by Sherr
Practical Gastroenterology, January 2000
Potential uses of Modafinil in Psychiatric Disorders (pdf file)
by Bransfield
Journal of Applied Research, 2004 Spring; 4(2): 198-208
(Requires Adobe Acrobat)
For insurance, see: Forms 1 and Forms 2
Regional Cerebral Blood Flow and Cognitive Deficits in Chronic Lyme Disease
by Fallon, et. al.
J Neuropsychiatry Clin Neurosci 15:326-332, August 2003
Seasonal Correlation of Sporadic Schizophrenia to Ixodes Ticks and Lyme Borreliosis
by Fritzsche
International Journal of Health Geographics 2002 1:2
The Underdiagnosis of Neuropsychiatric Lyme Disease in Children and Adults
by Fallon, Kochevar, Gaito, Nields
Psychiatric Clinics of North America, 1998; 21: 693-703

Misc. Articles (News, Newsletters, Websites, etc.)

Articles By Robert Bransfield, M.D.
Lyme Alliance Newsletter
The following articles are available: "All in Your Head?", "Microbes and Mental Illness", "Spirochetes On the Brain", "Lyme Disease and Cognitive Impairments", "Lyme, Depression, and Suicide", "Agression and Lyme Disease", "A Tale of Two Spirochetes" and "Sex and Lyme Disease". The following are the most recently added: "Gettysburg Times Article", "The Klempner Study", "Posttraumatic Stress Disorder and Infectious Encephalopathies", "The Psychotropic Management of Late-Stage Lyme and Associated Diseases" and "What Causes Illness and Mental Illness?"
Articles by Leo J. Shea III, Ph.D. and Judith G. Leventhal, Ph.D.
Neuropsychological Evaluation & Treatment Services, P.C.
The following articles are available: "The Role of Neuropsychology in children with Lyme Disease," "Neuropsychological Testing: It's Role in Lyme Disease," "Brain Injury and Lyme Disease: Top Ten Reasons to Think Spirochete," and "Protecting Your Family From Lyme Disease."
Articles by Virginia Sherr, M.D.
The Human Side of Lyme
Articles Include: "Lyme is a Brain Disease," "Panic Attacks and Lyme," as well as many essays on Lyme symptoms, coinfections, and case histories.
Lyme Disease, Comorbid Tick-Borne Diseases, and Neuropsychiatric Disorders
Robert C. Bransfield, MD. Psychiatric Times December 1, 2007
"Knowingly or not, most psychiatrists have at some point been perplexed by patients with late-stage psychiatric manifestations of Lyme borreliosis."
Do Bartonella Infections Cause Agitation, Panic Disorder, and Treatment-Resistant Depression?
Medscape, Sept. 2007
Understanding the Puzzle of Chronic Lyme
Columbia University Medical Center News, August 2004
Coughs and Sneezes Spread Mind Diseases
New Scientist, November 2004
Two Opposing Camps Offer Insight Into Treatment of Neurologic Lyme Disease
Applied Neurology, September 2006
Also see Perceptions
Brain Scans Distinguish Lyme Disease From Primary Psychiatric Disorders
Doctor's Guide to the Internet, October 24, 1997
Can Lyme Disease Cause Psychiatric Disorders?
by Joan Arehart-Treichel
Psychiatric News: March 15, 2002
A Feeling for the Organism (pdf)
by Pamela Weintraub
Lyme Times: Winter 2001/Spring 2002, p. 5-14
Teen Angst or Depression?
Seattle Post-Intelligencer: October 2002
Naturopathic perspective on the assessment and treatment of Lyme-associated autism
by Nicola McFadzean
Townsend Letter for Doctors and Patients: April, 2007
Neurological Impairment Seen in Patients Given Lymerix
DG News: October, 2002
I Refused to Give Up on My Daughter
Good Housekeeping: October 2003
Free Registration Required
Cognition Problems Fuel Lyme Disease Debate
by Nancy Walsh
Clinical Psychiatry News: October 2002
Free Registration Required
Lyme disease victims find new hope in study on Cape
Cape Cod Times: November 2002
Free Registration Required
Amy Tan, Ticked Off About Lyme
Washington Post, August 2003
A Disease in Disguise
Newsweek: August, 2004
Diseases of the Mind
Newsweek International: December 2003
Brain Imaging
Columbia University Lyme Website
Treatment of Lyme Disease
Columbia University Lyme Website
Lyme Disease and Psychiatric Disorders
P&S Journal: Winter 1998, Vol.18, No.1

Presentations

Psychiatric and neuropsychological aspects of Lyme Disease
by Felice A. Tager, Ph.D. and Brian A. Fallon, M.D.
Meeting of the American Psychiatric Association, May 2002
Testimonies of Brian Fallon, M.D. and Carolyn Britton, M.D.
NY Assembly Health Committee Hearing on Lyme Disease
November, 2001 (Scroll down)
Testimony of Robert Bransfield, M.D.
NY Assembly Health Committee Hearing on Lyme Disease
November, 2001
Spirochetes may "love the brain to death"
by Dr. Diego Cadavid
101st General Meeting of the American Society for Microbiology, May, 2001.
Neurologic Lyme Disease: Defining and Treating an Elusive Target (Expired Link)
by Brian A. Fallon, M.D., and Harry Goldhagen, MS
14th International Scientific Conference on Lyme Disease & Other Tick-Borne Disorders, April, 2001.
Review of Lyme Neuroborreliosis (Expired Link)
13th International Scientific Conference on Lyme Disease and other Tick-borne Disorders, March, 2000.
Lyme Neuroborreliosis: Recognition, Treatment, and Retreatment of Relapse (Expired Link)
13th International Scientific Conference on Lyme Disease and other Tick-borne Disorders, March, 2000.
Cognitive Remediation
by Leo Shea, PhD
12th International Conference on Lyme Disease and Other Spirochetal and Tick-Borne Disorders, April 1999.
Summary of Neurologic Lyme Disease Presentations
by Brain A. Fallon, M.D.
12th International Conference on Lyme Disease and Other Spirochetal and Tick-Borne Disorders, April 1999.
Lyme Disease vs. Somatoform Disorders
by Brian A. Fallon, M.D.
10th Annual International Scientific Conference on Lyme Disease & Other Tick-Borne Disorders, April 1997.
Psychiatric Aspects of LD & the Use of SPECT Imaging
by Brian A. Fallon, M.D.
10th Annual International Scientific Conference on Lyme Disease & Other Tick-Borne Disorders, April 1997.
Seronegative Chronic Meningoencephalomyelitis in LD
by Kenneth B. Liegner, M.D.
10th Annual International Scientific Conference on Lyme Disease & Other Tick-Borne Disorders, April, 1997.
Lyme Disease and the Clinical Spectrum of Antibiotic-Responsive Chronic Meningoencephalomyelitides
by Kenneth B. Liegner, M.D.
9th Annual International Scientific Conference on Lyme Disease & Other Tick-Borne Disorders, April, 1996.
Lyme Disease vs. Depression vs. Somatization: Cognitive Tests & Functional Imaging
by Brian A. Fallon, M.D.
9th Annual International Scientific Conference on Lyme Disease & Other Tick-Borne Disorders, April 1996
Neurofeedback and Lyme Disease: A Clinical Application of the Five Phase Model of CNS Functional Transformation
by Valdeane Brown, Ph.D.
Annual Conference of the Society for the Study of Neuronal Regulation, May 1995

Books & Videos:

The Lyme-Autism Connection: Unveiling the Shocking Link
By Tami Duncan, Bryan Rosner, Robert Bransfield
"When one looks beneath the surface of these seemingly diverse disorders, the underlying discoveries are shocking. Awaiting your discovery is the Lyme-Autism connection."
Bipolar Odyssey
By David Moyer, CSW, Lt Col
Too Good to be True? Nutrients Quiet the Unquiet Brain - A Four Generation Bipolar Odyssey
Neuropsychiatric Aspects of Other Infectious Diseases.
By Brian A. Fallon, M.D.
Comprehensive Textbook of Psychiatry., Ed. Kaplan and Sadock. Williams & Wilkins, 2002.
Lyme Disease Association Conference Videos
Various presentations are available by a number of psychiatrists with expertise in Lyme.
Columbia Lyme Interviews
by Brian A. Fallon, M.D.
Columbia University Lyme Website

Additional Resources:

The Human Side of Lyme
Dr. Virginia Sherr's website on neuroborreliosis.
Lyme Research in Adolescents
Patrick McAuliffe's Doctoral Dissertation
Lyme Induced Autism
Site created by parents of children with Lyme Disease and Autism who are struggling to find the proper care for their children. An Overview of the LIA Think Tank.
Medical Literature Summaries
In particular, the symptoms file has information pertaining to neuropsychiatric Lyme. The Neurologic system begins on page 17 of the symptoms file.
Journal Articles
A Selection of Free Journal Articles Available Online on the subject of Lyme and Other Tick-Borne Diseases.
The Whole Brain Atlas
SPECT Scans
Neuropsychological Testing
Not Lyme-specific
Annotated Bibliographies
Art Doherty's "Annotated Bibliographies of Medical and Scientific Articles on Lyme Disease Issues".