Autoaggressive immune-mediated movement disorders

Abstract

Poststreptococcal disorders exhibit a remarkable comorbidity of neurologic and psychiatric features. A similar combination of symptoms is also described in other conditions, such as connective tissue or paraneoplastic disorders, albeit less frequently. A better understanding of the underlying mechanisms associated with autoaggressive immune-mediated attack on the basal ganglia is required. This understanding will ideally aid clinicians in diagnosing these conditions and lead to appropriate clinical trials, for example, of chemoprophylaxis strategies to prevent recurrent streptococcal infection and of the use of immunosuppressive treatments.