Measuring and evaluating the significance of autoantibodies in neurological disorders

There is increasing use of antibody measurements for diagnosing well-established autoimmune disorders of the nervous system, and in the investigation of other less well characterized diseases. Antibodies against muscle or neuronal ion channels, and against myelin glycolipids are clearly associated with peripheral neurological diseases. Some of these antibodies are also being identified in central nervous system (CNS) disorders, where their pathogenic role has yet to be clearly demonstrated. Antibodies to intracellular antigens, that are co-expressed by certain tumors, are found in patients with paraneoplastic neurological disorders and are very important as tumor markers, but the conditions are probably the result of a T-cell mediated attack. This review will discuss the methods currently in use for measuring these antibodies, their importance in clinical practice, and indicate new developments.