title: Cerebellar ataxia associated with anti-glutamic acid decarboxylase autoantibodies.
abstract: Recent reports describe the detection of high titres of antibodies to glutamic acid decarboxylase (GAD-Ab) in the serum and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of patients with cerebellar ataxia. Most of these cases are females with Polyglandular Autoimmune Disorder who develop a chronic cerebellar syndrome. The CSF profile is in keeping with an autoimmune disorder and intrathecal GAD-Ab synthesis has been demonstrated. The ataxia could reverse after immunomodulatory treatments suggesting a possible pathogenetic role for GAD-Ab.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurological and Psychiatric Sciences, University of Padova, Italy.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Vianello
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Tavolato
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Armani
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Giometto
mesh_terms: D001323:Autoantibodies / Q000097:blood; D002524:Cerebellar Ataxia / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000276:immunology*; D002531:Cerebellum / Q000473:pathology; D005968:Glutamate Decarboxylase / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D011689:Purkinje Cells / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D001323:Autoantibodies; D005968:Glutamate Decarboxylase