title: Immunoactivation in the central nervous system in myasthenia gravis.
abstract: To assess signs of immunoactivation within the central nervous system in myasthenia gravis (MG) we examined the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of 44 MG patients for certain immunological parameters. Altogether 73% of the patients had some protein and/or cellular abnormality in their CSF. 22 (50%) out of 44 patients had a lymphoid reaction, i.e. a pathologically elevated proportion of enlarged lymphoid cells, in their CSF. In 15 (37.5%) out of 40 patients an enrichment of anti-acetylcholine receptor antibodies in the CSF was observed in relation to serum antibodies. Our findings suggest involvement of the central nervous system in many myasthenia gravis patients.
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000418:Albumins / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid; D001323:Autoantibodies / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid*; D002452:Cell Count; D002555:Cerebrospinal Fluid / Q000166:cytology*; D002556:Cerebrospinal Fluid Proteins / Q000032:analysis; D006801:Humans; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid; D007962:Leukocytes / Q000166:cytology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009157:Myasthenia Gravis / Q000276:immunology*; D011978:Receptors, Nicotinic / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D000418:Albumins; D001323:Autoantibodies; D002556:Cerebrospinal Fluid Proteins; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D011978:Receptors, Nicotinic