[Approach from a Perspective of Autoimmune Cerebellar Ataxia]

Brain Nerve. 2020 Sep;72(9):961-967. doi: 10.11477/mf.1416201629.
[Article in Japanese]

Abstract

Recently, the diagnostic criteria for idiopathic cerebellar ataxia (IDCA) have been proposed in Japan as a diagnosis to replace the clinical concept of cortical cerebellar atrophy, which was originally described as a neuropathological disorder. However, IDCA proposed in Japan may include various diseases such as multiple system atrophy with early stage, rare hereditary ataxias, and autoimmune-mediated cerebellar ataxia. We tackled this significant clinical challenge by detecting anti-cerebellar autoantibodies in patients' sera and identifying their target antigens. We detected anti-cerebellar autoantibodies in the sera of some patients diagnosed with IDCA in Japan. In the future, it will be necessary to confirm the efficacy of immunotherapy for anti-cerebellar autoantibody-positive cases among patients who were thought to be difficult to treat.

MeSH terms

  • Atrophy
  • Autoantibodies
  • Cerebellar Ataxia* / diagnosis
  • Cerebellar Ataxia* / therapy
  • Cerebellum
  • Humans
  • Japan

Substances

  • Autoantibodies