Neural autoantibodies and neurophysiologic abnormalities

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1: Arch Environ Health. 2003 Aug;58(8):464-74. Related Articles,

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Neural autoantibodies and neurophysiologic abnormalities in patients

exposed to molds in water-damaged buildings.

AW, Thrasher JD, Madison RA, Vojdani A, Gray MR, A.

Medical Center for Immune and Toxic Disorders, Spring, Texas 77386,

USA. md@...

Adverse health effects of fungal bioaerosols on occupants of water-

damaged homes and other buildings have been reported. Recently, it

has been suggested that mold exposure causes neurological injury.

The authors investigated neurological antibodies and

neurophysiological abnormalities in patients exposed to molds at

home who developed symptoms of peripheral neuropathy (i.e.,

numbness, tingling, tremors, and muscle weakness in the

extremities). Serum samples were collected and analyzed with the

enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) technique for antibodies

to myelin basic protein, myelin-associated glycoprotein, ganglioside

GM1, sulfatide, myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein, alpha-B-

crystallin, chondroitin sulfate, tubulin, and neurofilament.

Antibodies to molds and mycotoxins were also determined with ELISA,

as reported previously. Neurophysiologic evaluations for latency,

amplitude, and velocity were performed on 4 motor nerves (median,

ulnar, peroneal, and tibial), and for latency and amplitude on 3

sensory nerves (median, ulnar, and sural). Patients with documented,

measured exposure to molds had elevated titers of antibodies

(immunoglobulin [ig]A, IgM, and IgG) to neural-specific antigens.

Nerve conduction studies revealed 4 patient groupings: (1) mixed

sensory-motor polyneuropathy (n = 55, abnormal), (2) motor

neuropathy (n = 17, abnormal), (3) sensory neuropathy (n = 27,

abnormal), and (4) those with symptoms but no neurophysiological

abnormalities (n = 20, normal controls). All groups showed

significantly increased autoantibody titers for all isotypes (IgA,

IgM, and IgG) of antibodies to neural antigens when compared with

500 healthy controls. Groups 1 through 3 also exhibited abnormal

neurophysiologic findings. The authors concluded that exposure to

molds in water-damaged buildings increased the risk for development

of neural autoantibodies, peripheral neuropathy, and

neurophysiologic abnormalities in exposed individuals.

PMID: 15259425 [PubMed - in process]