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Downbeat nystagmus, ataxia and spastic tetraparesis due to coeliac disease

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Abstract

A 25-year-old female presented to a university neurology clinic with a 1-month history of progressive ataxia, downbeat nystagmus and spastic tetraparesis. Personal history revealed polyarthralgias and weight loss. Family history was negative. Following thorough history, laboratory, neurophysiological and MRI investigations, a diagnosis of cerebellar ataxia due to coeliac disease was done. The patient was treated with strict gluten-free diet and intravenous administration of immunoglobulins. Although there are many controversies about neurological manifestations of coeliac disease, this case pointed to strong association between these two disorders. The findings of elevated protein content in the cerebrospinal fluid with positive oligoclonal bands suggested an immune-mediated process, further supported by positive anti-endomysium antibodies and anti-transglutaminase antibodies in the cerebrospinal fluid.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Neurology, School of Medicine, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia

    Mario Habek, Barbara Barun & Vesna V. Brinar

  2. University Department of Neurology, Refferal Center for Demyelinating Diseases of the Central Nervous System, School of Medicine and University Hospital Center Zagreb, Kišpatićeva 12, HR-10000, Zagreb, Croatia

    Mario Habek, Barbara Barun & Vesna V. Brinar

  3. Department of Pediatrics, Referral Center for Pediatric Gastroenterology and Nutrition, Children’s Hospital Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia

    Iva Hojsak

  4. Referral Center for Pediatric Gastroenterology and Nutrition, Children’s Hospital Zagreb, University Hospital Center “Sestre milosrdnie”, Zagreb, Croatia

    Iva Hojsak

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  1. Mario Habek
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  2. Iva Hojsak
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  3. Barbara Barun
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  4. Vesna V. Brinar
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Correspondence to Mario Habek.

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Habek, M., Hojsak, I., Barun, B. et al. Downbeat nystagmus, ataxia and spastic tetraparesis due to coeliac disease. Neurol Sci 32, 911–914 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10072-011-0506-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10072-011-0506-7

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