Anti-gabaergic neuron autoantibodies in a patient with stiff-man syndrome and ataxia.
We describe a patient with autoimmune insulin-dependent diabetes whose original symptoms of trunk stiffness and rigidity of the abdomen were followed three years later by a pancerebellar syndrome. An autoantibody (autoAb) against GABAergic neurons was found in the patient's serum and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF); on Western blot, this autoAb recognized a 64-kDa antigen of cerebellar protein. The detection of this antibody in a case with ataxia suggests that a spectrum of different neurological diseases may be observed in patients harbouring anti-GABAergic neuron autoAb and supports the concept that factors other than autoAb contribute to the clinical presentation of these disorders.
Giometto
B
B
Department of Neurology and Psychiatry (2 Neurological Clinic), University of Padua, Italy.
Miotto
D
D
Faresin
F
F
Argentiero
V
V
Scaravilli
T
T
Tavolato
B
B
D000818:Animals; D001259:Ataxia / Q000276:immunology*; D001323:Autoantibodies / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid*; D002531:Cerebellum / Q000737:chemistry; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015151:Immunoblotting; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008875:Middle Aged; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D016750:Stiff-Person Syndrome / Q000276:immunology*; D005680:gamma-Aminobutyric Acid / Q000032:analysis / Q000276:immunology*
D001323:Autoantibodies; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D005680:gamma-Aminobutyric Acid