rss
J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry 1989;52:949-953 doi:10.1136/jnnp.52.8.949
  • Research Article

Immunoglobulin M in the cerebrospinal fluid: an indicator of recent immunological stimulation.

  1. M K Sharief,
  2. E J Thompson
  1. Department of Clinical Neurochemistry, National Hospital for Nervous Diseases, London, UK.

      Abstract

      Using a sensitive new method for detecting oligoclonal immunoglobulin M (IgM) in unconcentrated cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), the intrathecal synthesis of IgM was correlated with that of free light chains in patients with multiple sclerosis, infections of the central nervous system and other neurological conditions. A strong correlation was found between the presence of oligoclonal IgM and that of free light chains in the CSF from patients with multiple sclerosis and infections of the central nervous system. No oligoclonal IgM response was observed in patients with non-inflammatory or non-infectious neurological conditions. This implies that oligoclonal IgM has the same diagnostic significance as free light chains.

      Register for free content

      The full back archive is now available for all BMJ Journals. Institutional subscribers may access the entire archive as part of their subscription. Personal subscribers will also have access to all content when logged in. Non-subscribers who register have free access to all articles published before 2006 right back to volume 1 issue 1. Register here to access the free archive of all BMJ Journals.

      Don't forget to sign up for content alerts so you keep up to date with all the articles as they are published.

      BMJ Careers - Latest neurology and neurosurgery jobs