Stiff Person Syndrome and Gluten Sensitivity

Diet and Nutrients in Rare Neurological Disorders: Biological, Biochemical, and Pathophysiological Evidence

Background/Objectives: Rare diseases are a wide and heterogeneous group of multisystem life-threatening or chronically debilitating clinical conditions with reduced life expectancy and a relevant mortality rate in childhood. Some of these disorders have typical neurological symptoms, presenting from birth to adulthood. Dietary patterns and nutritional compounds play key roles in the onset and progression of neurological disorders, and the impact of alimentary needs must be enlightened especially in rare neurological diseases. This work aims to collect the in vitro, in vivo, and clinical evidence on the effects of diet and of nutrient intake on some rare neurological disorders, including some genetic diseases, and rare brain tumors. Herein, those aspects are critically linked to the genetic, biological, biochemical, and pathophysiological hallmarks typical of each disorder. Methods: By searching the major web-based databases (PubMed, Web of Science Core Collection, DynaMed, and Clinicaltrials.gov), we try to sum up and improve our understanding of the emerging role of nutrition as both first-line therapy and risk factors in rare neurological diseases. Results: In line with the increasing number of consensus opinions suggesting that nutrients should receive the same attention as pharmacological treatments, the results of this work pointed out that a standard dietary recommendation in a specific rare disease is often limited by the heterogeneity of occurrent genetic mutations and by the variability of pathophysiological manifestation. Conclusions: In conclusion, we hope that the knowledge gaps identified here may inspire further research for a better evaluation of molecular mechanisms and long-term effects.

Stiff person spectrum disorder: overview with emphasis on head and neck comorbidities

Stiff person spectrum disorder (SPSD) is a rare progressive autoimmune neuromuscular syndrome, primarily resulting in severely painful spasms and rigidity of the axial and appendicular musculature. Affected individuals are predisposed to develop an array of other neuropathies, including cerebellar ataxia and seizure activity, ophthalmologic abnormalities, and other autoimmune-based systemic diseases, notably type 1 diabetes mellitus, thyroiditis, pernicious anemia, and malignancy. Limited information exists in the oral medicine literature regarding SPSD. Thus, the objective of this paper is to review the clinicopathologic features of SPSD, with particular emphasis on head and neck involvement. Additionally, clinical guidelines for dental management of affected individuals and a summary of surgical procedures and outcomes performed in the head and neck are provided. (Oral Surg Oral Med Oral Pathol Oral Radiol YEAR;VOL:page range).

Celiac disease with neurological manifestations mimicking stiff-person syndrome

Celiac disease (CD), a gluten-related disease, is a multi-system rare disorder mainly involving the gastrointestinal tract. The clinical signs of CD are exceedingly heterogeneous, which increases the difficulty of clinical differential diagnosis. Neurological manifestations are one of the non-classical CD symptoms. As some patients present only neurological symptoms at early stages, the diagnosis of CD is always delayed. Correct diagnosis and management could decrease patient morbidity and deaths. A 32-year-old male was admitted to the hospital due to progressive muscle atrophy of both lower limbs and lumbar stiffness. Based on positive gluten-sensitive enteropathy autoantibody profiles and gastroscopy foundation, the diagnosis of CD was established. The patient was instructed to gluten-free diet. The antibody titer of gluten-sensitive enteropathy autoantibodies decreased, and the patient's symptoms alleviated. We emphasize the importance of CD screening in patients with neurological disorders of unknown aetiology.

Celebrities and Medical Awareness-The Case of Celine Dion and Stiff-Person Syndrome

The positive role of celebrities in spreading important medical information and contributing to increasing public awareness regarding the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of various medical conditions cannot be overemphasized. Interestingly and importantly at the same time, this impact is not related to the rarity of the disease, as very rare diseases are looked up by the public due to the fact that a celebrity suffers from this disorder. Therefore, if taken seriously and used to address the public in regard to critical medical conditions, such as screening for cancer or the importance of vaccines in fighting infections, celebrities could have a huge impact in this field. As previously shown in the medical literature, the recent announcement of the famous Canadian singer Celine Dion concerning her newly diagnosed stiff-person syndrome has influenced the public interest regarding the syndrome which manifested as an increased search volume related to the disorder as seen in Google Trends. In brief, in this short communication we aimed to address the phenomenon of celebrities' impact on public apprehension, revise the syndrome for the medical community, and emphasize taking advantage of such involvement of celebrities for improving the spread of highly important medical information for the public.