Antinuclear antibodies and glutamic acid decarboxylase antibodies in children with refractory epilepsy

INVESTIGATION ON ANTI-GLUTAMIC ACID DECARBOXYLASE ANTIBODIES IN TYPE I DIABE TES MELLITUS

Antibodies directed against the enzyme glutamic acid decarboxylase (GAD) are believed to be the main cause of destruction of pancreatic islet cells in type I (insulin dependent) diabetes mellitus. The enzyme was found both in the brain and pancreatic beta cells. Although similarities in identity of GAD in human and rat brain have been demonstrated, little is known about the interaction betw...

Monoclonal antibodies to glutamic acid decarboxylase.

Five monoclonal antibodies that recognize chicken brain glutamic acid decarboxylase (GAD) have been selected and designated GAD-1 to -5. GAD-1 to -5 were selected on the basis of their ability to immunoprecipitate active GAD from crude brain extracts. GAD-1 recognizes an epitope that is conserved in many vertebrates; the epitope recognized by GAD-5 is restricted to the chicken. Radioimmunoassay...

Epilepsy and cerebellar ataxia associated with anti-glutamic acid decarboxylase antibodies.

Anti-glutamic acid decarboxylase (GAD) antibodies are described in stiff-person syndrome and also in other neurological syndromes, including cerebellar ataxia and epilepsy. This paper reports the case of a patient who had chronic focal epilepsy, upbeat nystagmus and cerebellar ataxia, associated with a polyautoimmune response including anti-GAD antibodies. Both gait and nystagmus improved marke...

Association of Paraneoplastic Neurological Disorders With Glutamic Acid Decarboxylase Antibodies.

Glutamic acid decarboxylase (GAD) antibodies in epilepsy: Diagnostic yield and therapeutic implications

PURPOSE The aetiology of adult onset epilepsy remains unascertained in a significant proportion of patients. Antibodies directed against neuronal antigens have been suggested to have a potential pathogenic role in some cases of epilepsy. We describe a series of patients with adult onset epilepsy in whom antibodies to glutamic acid decarboxylase (GAD Abs) have been identified. METHODS All pati...