Opsoclonus: Clinical and immunological features

Joanna C. Jen, Ivan Lopez, Robert W. Baloh

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

28 Scopus citations

Abstract

Background: Opsoclonus is felt to be a saccadic oscillation disorder but the neuroanatomical substrate for generating the abnormal eye movements is poorly understood. Methods: We recorded eye movements and studied serum samples from 7 patients who presented with opsoclonus and with either myoclonus or generalized tremor. Anti neuronal antibodies were detected by immunohistochemestry using rat and human cerebellar sections. Results: In all patients but one the opsoclonus resolved within 2 weeks (after immunosuppression in 4, resection of the underlying neoplasm in 1 and spontaneously in 1). Opsoclonus was arrhythmic and multidirectional with a wide frequency range (4-10 Hz). No known paraneoplastic antibodies were found in the initial commercial screen. Three patients had antiPurkinje cell antibodies with a characteristic punctate staining in the molecular layer. Conclusions: The clinical and immunological findings are consistent with the hypothesis, that in some patients, opsoclonus results from antibodies directed at the parallel fiber-Purkinje cell synapse. The antibodies block parallel fiber input to Purkinje cells allowing spontaneous oscillating activity generated in the inferior olives to be passed on to the oculomotor nuclei via the flocculus.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)61-65
Number of pages5
JournalJournal of the Neurological Sciences
Volume320
Issue number1-2
DOIs
StatePublished - 15 Sep 2012
Externally publishedYes

Keywords

  • Eye movements
  • Myoclonus
  • Ocular motility
  • Oscillopsia
  • Paraneoplastic syndrome
  • Post-viral syndrome

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