Acute limbic encephalitis and glutamic acid decarboxylase antibodies: a reality?

J Neurol Sci. 2009 Dec 15;287(1-2):69-71. doi: 10.1016/j.jns.2009.09.004. Epub 2009 Sep 27.

Abstract

Limbic encephalitis (LE) associated with glutamic acid decarboxylase antibodies (GAD-Ab) is rare. We describe a 30-year-old male with acute LE and GAD-Ab, with follow-up during 2 years of cognitive status including verbal episodic memory, number of seizures recorded by high-resolution video-EEG, brain MRI, 2-[18F]-fluoro-2-deoxyglucose PET and GAD-Ab titres. Treatment with corticosteroids, IV immunoglobulins, immunosuppressors and antiepileptic drugs resulted in improved memory status, disappearance of seizures and decreased GAD-Ab titres. Review of the other cases of literature and this case is in favour of the existence of autoimmune LE associated with GAD-Ab and supports the link between memory, temporal seizures and possibly GAD-Ab titres.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Acute Disease
  • Adult
  • Anti-Inflammatory Agents / therapeutic use
  • Autoantibodies / analysis
  • Autoantibodies / blood*
  • Biomarkers / analysis
  • Biomarkers / blood
  • Electroencephalography
  • Epilepsy / enzymology
  • Epilepsy / immunology
  • Epilepsy / physiopathology
  • Glutamate Decarboxylase / immunology*
  • Humans
  • Immunosuppressive Agents / therapeutic use
  • Limbic Encephalitis / enzymology*
  • Limbic Encephalitis / immunology*
  • Limbic Encephalitis / physiopathology
  • Magnetic Resonance Imaging
  • Male
  • Memory Disorders / enzymology
  • Memory Disorders / immunology
  • Memory Disorders / physiopathology
  • Neuropsychological Tests
  • Positron-Emission Tomography
  • Predictive Value of Tests
  • Sensitivity and Specificity
  • gamma-Aminobutyric Acid / biosynthesis

Substances

  • Anti-Inflammatory Agents
  • Autoantibodies
  • Biomarkers
  • Immunosuppressive Agents
  • gamma-Aminobutyric Acid
  • Glutamate Decarboxylase
  • glutamate decarboxylase 2