The evolution of our understanding of paraneoplastic autoimmunity began with descriptions of particular syndromes associated with specific cancers and subsequent individual autoantibody identification. Antineuronal nuclear autoantibody type-1 (ANNA-1), also known…
Immune-mediated paraneoplastic neurologic disease (PND) occurs as a consequence of the body’s immune response to a neoplasm. This is a complex interaction evolving during tumor development, varying with tumor type,…
SMS variants include stiff-limb syndrome, progressive encephalomyelitis with rigidity and myoclonus (PERM), and a paraneoplastic process associated with breast cancer. Idiopathic gait ataxias sometimes accompany SMS. There is one instance…
The astute neurologist confronted with an unusual, seemingly idiopathic clinical disorder, always needs to be vigilant, asking whether a difficult diagnostic problem could also have a neuroimmunologic basis and eventual…
ADEM results from an autoimmune attack triggered by infection or immunization against CNS myelin proteins. Thus ADEM closely resembles experimental allergic encephalomyelitis (EAE) induced in rodents by CNS myelin products….
INTERFERON-β Three interferon-β (IFN-β) formulations are approved for relapsing-remitting MS (RRMS). These are IFN-β-1b (Betaseron) subcutaneously every other day, IFN-β-1a (Rebif) subcutaneously three times weekly and IFN-β-1a (Avonex) intramuscularly weekly….
Recurrent spinal cord and/or optic nerve inflammation reminiscent of relapsing-remitting MS occurs in 80% of NMO patients. A monophasic course appears in 20%; visual and motor involvement is severe initially….
When the cerebral hemispheres are sectioned, the demyelinating lesions become obvious. These may be numerous or scanty and rounded (as illustrated), oval, or irregular. Recently acquired lesions are soft and…
Careful examination of normal-appearing white matter in progressive MS reveals elongated paranodes with a disrupted profile, axonal swellings, and amyloid precursor protein accumulations. These correlate with the density of ramified…
Clinical Features of an MS Relapse: Events during the clinically apparent phase of a relapse, as with its prelude, involve a series of steps. STEP SIX Conduction Block. The symptoms…
