In a new study, four research groups within the Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences combine their strengths in autoimmunity (Irani), pain (Bennett and Dawes) and peripheral nerve diseases (Rinaldi).
Their collective findings reveal that patients with antibodies to LGI1 and CASPR2 show different clinical, immunological and neurobiological characteristics which may relate to the antibodies differentially targeting neurons which can mediate pain.
The findings have implications for improving the long-term outcomes of these patients and for our understanding of the basic biology of these antigenic targets.