Paraneoplastic neurological syndromes (PNS) are immune-mediated neurological disorders that can affect any part of the nervous system, occur in association with cancer and are often supported by the presence of specific neuronal autoantibodies.
Neuronal autoantibodies are classified as high-, intermediate-, or low-risk for paraneoplastic aetiology. Cancer association is 30–70% for intermediate-risk antibodies and <30% for low-risk ones. In general, intermediate- and low-risk antibodies are pathogenic and patients often respond well to immunosuppressive therapy.
Autoantibodies against contactin-associated protein 2 (CASPR2) are markers of autoimmune neuronal disease. They are considered intermediate risk in patients with Morvan syndrome, where association with malignant thymoma is about 50%. In patients with limbic encephalitis or Isaacs syndrome, anti-CASPR2 antibodies are considered low risk, with thymoma association <30%.
For neuronal autoantibodies with intermediate or low-risk phenotypes, testing should be performed in parallel on serum and cerebrospinal fluid.
Serum, EDTA plasma, heparin plasma, citrate plasma, CSF
IFA cells
Fasting for at least 8-12 hours before sampling
Refer to the Health Service Charter to check storage conditions
+2/+8°C
This test provides the quantitative determination of total tau protein to support the diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease.
This test provides the quantitative determination of tau protein phosphorylated at threonine 181 (pTau181), to support the diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease.
Test for the determination of human autoantibodies against NMDAR to support the diagnosis of paraneoplastic neurological syndromes with an intermediate-risk phenotype.
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