The g-aminobutyric acid (GABA) is a product of decarboxylation of the amino acid glutamate mediated by the synthesizing enzyme glutamic acid decarboxylase (GAD) (1–3). Although GABA is a major inhibitory neurotransmitter of the brain, it is produced at high levels in pancreatic islets (4). b-Cells store GABA in synaptic-like microvesicles, and upon its secretion, GABA exerts many paracrine func...

In October, 2012, a 37-year-old Rwandan businessman was transferred to our hospital from Nairobi, Kenya, where he had been investigated for subacute onset of progressive cerebellar ataxia and quadriparesis of unclear cause. He presented initially to a hospital in Nairobi in August, 2012, with a 2–3 week history of imbalance and weakness, as well as back pain and stiff ness, without cognitive or...

Antibodies against neuropeptides and against a vitamin D-dependent calcium-binding protein (CaBP) label small cells with nonpyramidal-like morphology in the cat visual cortex (areas 17, 18, and 19). Since GABAergic cells are interneurons, a double-staining procedure was used to test for the coexistence of cholecystokinin (CCK), somatostatin (SRIF), neuropeptide Y (NPY), corticotropin-releasing ...

PURPOSE Temporal lobe epilepsy with antibodies (abs) against the glutamic acid decarboxylase 65 isoform (GAD-TLE) is known as an immune-mediated neurological syndrome. Here we evaluate the therapy response to various immunotherapies and epilepsy surgery in this syndrome. METHOD All patients with GAD-TLE and follow-up data and stored serum and CSF samples, identified and treated at the Bonn ce...

Antibodies to glutamic acid decarboxylase (GAD-ab) associate to different neurological syndromes. It is unknown if the diversity in syndrome association represents epitopes in different immunodominant domains or co-existence of antibodies to other proteins of the inhibitory synapsis. We examined the serum and CSF of 106 patients with anti-GAD related syndromes (39 cerebellar ataxia, 32 stiff-pe...

BACKGROUND The high prevalence of gluten sensitivity in patients with stiff-person syndrome (SPS) lead us to investigate the relationship between gluten sensitivity and GAD-antibody-associated diseases. METHODS We used ELISA assays for anti-GAD and for serological markers of gluten sensitivity. Patients were recruited from clinics based at the Royal Hallamshire hospital, Sheffield, UK. Patien...

High prevalence of autoantibodies against glutamic acid decarboxylase (GAD-Ab) in stiV 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 rigidity and ...

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...