Meningitis Research Today is a free monthly online journal that collates and summarizes the latest research about Meningitis, including details on viral, bacterial, spinal, symptoms, treatment.

A case of acute cerebellitis accompanied by autoantibodies against glutamate receptor delta2.

Shimokaze T, Kato M, Yoshimura Y, Takahashi Y, Hayasaka K

Department of Pediatrics, Yamagata Prefectural Shinjo Hospital, Shinjo, Japan. tkaze@hotmail.com

A 13-year-old boy presented with a six-day history of headache and gradually developed severe meningeal irritation symptoms. Brain magnetic resonance imaging revealed left cerebellar swelling and obstructive hydrocephalus. Then he showed transient ataxia, but recovered without any sequelae soon after high dose steroid therapy. IgG type of autoantibodies against glutamate receptor delta2 (GluRdelta2) were detected in the serum, but not in the cerebrospinal fluid in his early clinical course. It was suggested that autoantibodies against GluRdelta2 might not have injured the tissue due to the immunological action, but might be induced as a consequence of cerebellar damage. Early steroid treatment for acute cerebellitis might have been effective to prevent the progress of the disease and improve the prognosis.

Published 27 February 2007 in Brain Dev, 29(4): 224-6.
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