Septin-3 autoimmunity in patients with paraneoplastic cerebellar ataxia.

Background: Septins are cytoskeletal proteins with filament forming capabilities, which have multiple roles during cell division, cellular polarization, morphogenesis, and membrane trafficking. Autoantibodies against septin-5 are associated with non-paraneoplastic cerebellar ataxia, and autoantibodies against septin-7 with encephalopathy with prominent neuropsychiatric features. Here, we report on newly identified autoantibodies against septin-3 in patients with paraneoplastic cerebellar ataxia.

Neuroborreliosis-associated cerebral vasculitis: long-term outcome and health-related quality of life.

Neuroborreliosis affects the nervous system after systemic infection with the spirochete Borrelia burgdorferi. Previously, cerebral vasculitis has been regarded as an extremely rare complication of neuroborreliosis. The data on the long-term outcome in patients with cerebral vasculitis due to neuroborreliosis are limited.

Contrasting disease patterns in seropositive and seronegative neuromyelitis optica: A multicentre study of 175 patients.

Background: The diagnostic and pathophysiological relevance of antibodies to aquaporin-4 (AQP4-Ab) in patients with neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorders (NMOSD) has been intensively studied. However, little is known so far about the clinical impact of AQP4-Ab seropositivity.

Objective: To analyse systematically the clinical and paraclinical features associated with NMO spectrum disorders in Caucasians in a stratified fashion according to the patients' AQP4-Ab serostatus.