New Antibodies to Neuronal and Muscle Antigens

The role of antibodies to ion channels at the neuromuscular junction is now well established. Antibodies binding to the muscle isoform of the acetylcholine receptor (AChR) are present in the majority of patients with myasthenia gravis (MG; see Chaps. 2,4), and antibodies binding to the voltage-gated calcium channel in the Lambert-Eaton myasthenic syndrome (LEMS; see Chap. 3). However, the recognition of the role these antibodies play in the pathogenesis of the disorders, and their usefulness for their diagnosis, stimulated the search for other antibody-mediated diseases of the peripheral nervous system, and also raised questions concerning their possible involvement in central nervous system (CNS) diseases (see the Introduction to this volume).