Hi Buster, What Is a CaM KinaseII Test?
This is a little tricky to answer, so perhaps other parents could help here on what would be useful for the FAQ. It’s hard to balance accuracy with understandability. See if this makes sense. Within the scope of PANDAS, CaM Kinase II test is a measure of whether antibodies in the blood would cause signaling of neuronal tissue if the blood brain barrier were open. In many patients, the blood-brain barrier will be closed and so the test only indicates that there is a potential for neuronal signalling as opposed to any being actually caused by antibodies. CaM Kinase II activation of neuronal cells has been shown to be elevated in children with Sydenham Chorea and in children with PANDAS. Cam Kinase II acts to convert the amino acid tyrosine into L-dopa that later becomes dopamine. The antibody seems to interfere with the regulation of dopamine and creates symptoms similar to tyrosine hydroxylase deficiency (THD).
