Gluten Sensitivity – A Potentially Reversible Cause of Progressive Cerebellar Ataxia and Myoclonus – A Case Report
Published: November 1, 2015 | DOI: https://doi.org/10.7860/JCDR/2015/.6743
Geeta Anjum Khwaja, Vikram Bohra, Ashish Duggal, Vijay V Ghuge, Neera Chaudhary
1. Director Professor and Head, Department of Neurology, G.B. Pant Hospital, Delhi, India.
2. Senior Resident, Department of Neurology, G.B. Pant Hospital, Delhi, India.
3. Senior Resident, Department of Neurology, G.B. Pant Hospital, Delhi.
4. Senior Resident, Department of Neurology, G.B. Pant Hospital, Delhi, India.
5. Professor, Department of Neurology, G.B. Pant Hospital, Delhi, India.
Correspondence
Dr. Geeta Anjum Khwaja,
Director Professor and Head, Department of Neurology, Academic Block,
Room No. -501, G.B. Pant Hospital, New Delhi-110002, India.
E-mail : geetakhwaja@hotmail.com
Gluten sensitivity is an umbrella term used for diverse clinical manifestations occurring as a result of abnormal immunological reactivity to dietary gluten in genetically susceptible individuals. Celiac disease is the most well-known but not the only manifestation of gluten sensitivity. Myoclonus with Ataxia is a rare manifestation of gluten sensitivity and should be considered in the differential diagnosis of all patients with idiopathic sporadic ataxia. The presence of gluten-related immune markers in normal population however complicates the reliable diagnosis of gluten related neurological disorders and clinical improvement on gluten free diet can serve as a diagnostic tool for this disease. We report a case of sporadic progressive cerebellar ataxia with myoclonus with positive antigliadin antibodies, which improved with a trial of gluten free diet. This case highlights an important diagnostic and therapeutic principle in management of late onset idiopathic ataxia.
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