Current opinion in neurology
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Curr. Opin. Neurol. · Jun 2017
ReviewAutoimmune encephalitis in children: clinical phenomenology, therapeutics, and emerging challenges.
Auto-antibodies that bind to conformational extracellular epitopes of neuronal receptors or synaptic proteins have provided clinicians with essential biomarkers in acute neurology. This review summarizes the current status and challenges in the field. ⋯ Although there have been significant developments, future priorities include the need for paediatric-specific consensus definitions for seronegative suspected autoimmune encephalitis, novel tools for monitoring patients with autoimmune encephalitis, consensus treatment recommendations, and neuroprotective strategies.
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Curr. Opin. Neurol. · Jun 2017
ReviewCalcitonin gene-related peptide in peripheral blood as a biomarker for migraine.
There is no available biomarker for any of the primary headaches, including migraine. As demonstrated in jugular blood, during a migraine attack, trigeminal activation releases several neuropeptides, very especially calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP), which gives rise to the typical throbbing migraine pain. Here, we review the current evidence for measurement of peripheral CGRP levels as a potential biomarker for trigemino-vascular activation in migraine. ⋯ Although CGRP data must be confirmed and expanded in future studies and specificity of CGRP levels should be studied in entities able to resemble migraine, it seems that peripheral CGRP levels are a good biomarker of acute migraine and somewhat specific and sensitive interictally in chronic migraine.