Long-term clinical follow-up of a patient with non-paraneoplastic cerebellar ataxia associated with anti-mGluR1 autoantibodies

Abstract

The clinical features of cerebellar ataxia associated with anti-metabotropic glutamate receptor 1 (mGluR1) autoantibodies, a rare autoimmune-mediated cerebellar ataxia, remain to be elucidated. Here, we describe a patient with non-paraneoplastic cerebellar ataxia associated with anti-mGluR1 autoantibodies, who was followed up over 5 years. She presented with relapses and remissions of subacute progressive cerebellar ataxia that were responsive to immunotherapy. Although serum anti-mGluR1 autoantibodies were continuously detected and cerebellar atrophy gradually progressed, repeated intravenous immunoglobulin therapy and oral immunosuppressants ensured cerebellar ataxia remained at almost the same level during the observation period.

Keywords: Autoimmune; Cerebellar ataxia; Immunotherapy; Metabotropic glutamate receptor 1 (mGluR1) autoantibody.