A serial SPECT-CT study in a celiac disease patient with cerebellar ataxia and psychiatric symptoms

Neurol Sci. 2021 Apr;42(4):1545-1548. doi: 10.1007/s10072-020-04908-2. Epub 2020 Nov 23.

Abstract

Celiac disease (CD) is an immune-mediated systemic disorder triggered by gluten and related prolamins in genetically predisposed individuals. Here, we described a case of a 31-year-old Caucasian woman who exhibited cerebellar and psychiatric dysfunctions. The patient underwent single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT-CT) before and after a gluten-free diet (GFD). There was an improvement in cerebellar perfusion accompanied by a remission of cerebellar manifestations. The maintenance of the psychiatric manifestations was related to the persistence of the hypoperfusion in the frontal lobes. The patient's psychiatric symptoms did not change after 4 months under a GFD in the hospital. To our knowledge, this is the first case that shows the relationship between improvement in cerebellar perfusion and remission of cerebellar clinical manifestations in a CD patient under a GFD.

Keywords: Celiac disease; Cerebellar perfusion; Cerebellum; SPECT-CT.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Celiac Disease* / complications
  • Celiac Disease* / diagnostic imaging
  • Cerebellar Ataxia* / complications
  • Cerebellar Ataxia* / diagnostic imaging
  • Diet, Gluten-Free
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Tomography, Emission-Computed, Single-Photon
  • Tomography, X-Ray Computed