Effects of anti-glutamic acid decarboxylase antibodies associated with neurological diseases

Effects of anti-glutamic acid decarboxylase antibodies associated with neurological diseases.

OBJECTIVE Glutamic acid decarboxylase (GAD) catalyzes the conversion of glutamic acid into GABA. GAD autoantibodies (GAD-Ab) have been described in diabetes mellitus and in diseases involving the central nervous system such as stiff-person syndrome and cerebellar ataxia. However, the pathogenic role of GAD-Ab in neurological diseases remains a matter of debate. METHODS Using neurophysiologica...

Antibodies against glutamic acid decarboxylase: prevalence in neurological diseases.

UNLABELLED High prevalence of autoantibodies against glutamic acid decarboxylase (GAD-Ab) in stiff man syndrome (SMS) not only helps diagnosis, but also suggests immune mediated impairment of GABAergic functions. However, the presence of GAD-Ab has also been reported in other neurological syndromes. Therefore the prevalence of GAD-Ab was investigated in SMS, progressive encephalomyelitis with r...

Association of Paraneoplastic Neurological Disorders With Glutamic Acid Decarboxylase Antibodies.

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...

Spectrum of neurological syndromes associated with glutamic acid decarboxylase antibodies: diagnostic clues for this association.

The association of high levels of autoantibodies to glutamic acid decarboxylase (GAD-ab) and stiff-person syndrome (SPS) is well known. However, the full spectrum of neurological syndromes associated with GAD-ab is not well established. In addition, these patients usually present type 1 diabetes mellitus (DM1) that could justify the presence of high GAD-ab levels. To clarify these issues, we re...