Intractable myoclonus associated with anti-GluR3 antibodies after allogeneic bone marrow transplantation.

Neurological complications following allogeneic bone marrow transplantation (BMT) are most frequently caused by the immunosuppressive regimen, infections and cerebrovascular disorders. Several papers have been reported the transmission of autoimmune diseases from the donor to the recipient after allogeneic bone marrow transplantation possibly due to the transfer of pathogenic cells or antibodies. Antibodies to antigens of the central nervous system (CNS) have been reported to play a role in a number of neurological diseases including paraneoplastic syndromes, Rasmussen’s encephalitis (RE) and epilepsy. We describe the case of a 20 years old man who developed, after allogeneic BMT, a myoclonic encephalitis refractory to common anti-epileptic drugs whose serum and CSF harbored high levels of anti-GluR3 antibodies.