Autoimmune encephalitis associated with antibodies against the metabotropic glutamate receptor type 1: case report and review of the literature. (May 2019)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Christ, Monika; Müller, Torsten; Bien, Corinna; Hagen, Thomas; Naumann, Markus; Bayas, Antonios
• Is Part Of: Therapeutic advances in neurological disorders. Volume 12(2019)
• Publication Date: 2019-05
• Subjects: ataxia -- autoimmune encephalitis -- dysarthria -- metabotropic glutamate receptor type 1; Nervous system -- Diseases -- Periodicals; Nervous system -- Degeneration -- Periodicals; Nervous system -- Diseases -- Treatment -- Periodicals; Nervous System Diseases -- therapy -- Periodicals; Neurodegenerative Diseases -- Periodicals; Système nerveux -- Maladies -- Périodiques; Système nerveux -- Dégénérescence -- Périodiques; Système nerveux; Système nerveux -- Maladies -- Traitement -- Périodiques; 616.805
• DOI: 10.1177/1756286419847418
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1756-2856

Abstract

Autoimmune encephalitis associated with antibodies against the metabotropic glutamate receptor type 1 is a rare autoimmune disease with only 18 cases being described in the literature so far. Most patients present with subacute cerebellar ataxia. In more than one third of cases a paraneoplastic aetiology has been suspected. Here we report a case of a 45-year-old man without known malignancy, who presented with progressive dysarthria and subsequently developed subacute cerebellar ataxia. Immunotherapy with glucocorticoids, i.v. immunoglobulins and rituximab improved clinical symptoms and resulted in a stable disease course up to the present. The article describes the clinical course of the patient with a follow-up-period of approximately 24 months and reviews the cases reported in the literature so far.