RT Journal Article SR Electronic T1 Neuronal autoantibodies in mesial temporal lobe epilepsy with hippocampal sclerosis JF Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery & Psychiatry JO J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry FD BMJ Publishing Group Ltd SP 684 OP 692 DO 10.1136/jnnp-2016-313146 VO 87 IS 7 A1 Vanli-Yavuz, Ebru Nur A1 Erdag, Ece A1 Tuzun, Erdem A1 Ekizoglu, Esme A1 Baysal-Kirac, Leyla A1 Ulusoy, Canan A1 Peach, Sian A1 Gundogdu, Gokcen A1 Sencer, Serra A1 Sencer, Altay A1 Kucukali, Cem Ismail A1 Bebek, Nerses A1 Gurses, Candan A1 Gokyigit, Aysen A1 Baykan, Betul YR 2016 UL http://jnnp.bmj.com/content/87/7/684.abstract AB Objective Our aim was to investigate the prevalence of neuronal autoantibodies (NAbs) in a large consecutive series with mesial temporal lobe epilepsy with hippocampal sclerosis (MTLE-HS) and to elucidate the clinical and laboratory clues for detection of NAbs in this prototype of frequent, drug-resistant epilepsy syndrome.Methods Consecutive patients diagnosed with MTLE fulfilling the MRI criteria for HS were enrolled. The sera of patients and various control groups (80 subjects) were tested for eight NAbs after ethical approval and signed consents. Brain tissues obtained from surgical specimens were also investigated by immunohistochemical analysis for the presence of inflammatory infiltrates. The features of seropositive versus seronegative groups were compared and binary logistic regression analysis was performed to explore the differentiating variables.Results We found antibodies against antigens, contactin-associated protein-like 2 in 11 patients, uncharacterised voltage-gated potassium channel (VGKC)-complex antigens in four patients, glycine receptor (GLY-R) in 5 patients, N-methyl-d-aspartate receptor in 4 patients and γ-aminobutyric acid receptor A in 1 patient of 111 patients with MTLE-HS and none of the control subjects. The history of status epilepticus, diagnosis of psychosis and positron emission tomography or single-photon emission CT findings in temporal plus extratemporal regions were found significantly more frequently in the seropositive group. Binary logistic regression analysis disclosed that status epilepticus, psychosis and cognitive dysfunction were statistically significant variables to differentiate between the VGKC-complex subgroup versus seronegative group.Conclusions This first systematic screening study of various NAbs showed 22.5% seropositivity belonging mostly to VGKC-complex antibodies in a large consecutive series of patients with MTLE-HS. Our results indicated a VGKC-complex autoimmunity-related subgroup in the syndrome of MTLE-HS.