Understanding the physiopathology of paraneoplastic and genetic cerebellar ataxia
- Correspondence to: Professor J Honnorat Neurologie B, Hôpital Neurologique Pierre Wertheimer, 59 Boulevard Pinel, 69677 Bron Cedex, France; jerome.honnorat{at}chu-lyon.fr
Antibodies as diagnostic markers of ataxia
Despite their rarity, paraneoplastic syndromes have always intrigued neurologists. Several reasons explain this clinical and scientific interest. From a clinical point of view, the discovery and characterisation of several paraneoplastic antibodies have allowed neurologists to diagnose puzzling neurological syndromes as paraneoplastic1 and to more easily identify tumours that are often small and occult.2 From a scientific point of view, characterisation of the antigens recognised by paraneoplastic antibodies has led to the identification of proteins that are important for the functioning of the nervous system and tumorogenesis.3 In their paper,4 Sabater et al (see p …
