Anti-neuronal autoantibodies: Current diagnostic challenges

The spectrum of neurological autoimmune diseases has expanded substantially in the last 15 years due to the discovery of new anti-neuronal antibodies. There are at present numerous technical challenges for developing and improving standardized serological test systems for the detection of these autoantibodies, some of which occur very rarely. In particular, the determination of autoantibodies against complex cell surface structures generally requires authentically presented target antigens. Finally, research into syndrome associations benefits from multiplex analyses and accelerates the understanding of the complex autoimmune processes, forming an important basis for the development of novel therapy concepts. (C) 2013 Published by Elsevier B.V.