Fisher syndrome and Bickerstaff brainstem encephalitis (Fisher–Bickerstaff syndrome)

Abstract Since identification of the autoantibodies in Fisher syndrome, remarkable progress has been made in our understanding of that syndrome and related conditions. Because of the similarities in the clinical presentations of it and Bickerstaff brainstem encephalitis, opinions differ as to whethe...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of neuroimmunology 2009-10, Vol.215 (1), p.1-9
Main Author: Yuki, Nobuhiro
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Allergy and Immunology
Animals
Anti-GQ1b antibody
Autoantibodies - biosynthesis
Autoantibodies - blood
Bickerstaff brainstem encephalitis
Brain Stem - immunology
Brain Stem - pathology
Campylobacter jejuni
Encephalitis - diagnosis
Encephalitis - immunology
Encephalitis - therapy
Fisher syndrome
Guillain–Barré syndrome
Humans
Miller Fisher Syndrome - diagnosis
Miller Fisher Syndrome - immunology
Miller Fisher Syndrome - therapy
Molecular mimicry
Neurology
Signal Transduction - immunology
Citations: Items that cite this one
Online Access:Get full text
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:Abstract Since identification of the autoantibodies in Fisher syndrome, remarkable progress has been made in our understanding of that syndrome and related conditions. Because of the similarities in the clinical presentations of it and Bickerstaff brainstem encephalitis, opinions differ as to whether the two are distinct or related syndromes and whether the lesions responsible for ophthalmoplegia, ataxia and areflexia are in the peripheral or central nervous system. The finding that both conditions have autoantibodies in common suggested that the autoimmune mechanism is the same in both and they are not distinct conditions. Common autoantibodies, antecedent infections, and neuroimaging and neurophysiological results from a large study offer conclusive evidence that these conditions form a continuous spectrum with variable central and peripheral nervous system involvement. A new eponymic terminology “Fisher–Bickerstaff syndrome” may be helpful for nosology. A considerable number of patients with Bickerstaff brainstem encephalitis have associated Guillain–Barré syndrome, indicative that these two disorders are closely related on a continuous spectrum. That finding is further evidence of continuity between Bickerstaff brainstem encephalitis and Fisher syndrome, a variant of Guillain–Barré syndrome.
ISSN:0165-5728
1872-8421
DOI:10.1016/j.jneuroim.2009.05.020