Characteristics of Movement Disorders in Patients with Autoimmune GFAP Astrocytopathy

Abstract

Autoimmune glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) astrocytopathy (GFAP-A) is a type of autoimmune corticosteroid-responsive meningoencephalitis that occurs with or without myelitis. Movement disorders have been reported in GFAP-A patients but have not been characterized. In this study, we examined the characteristics of movement disorders in GFAP-A patients. We retrospectively reviewed clinical data from 87 consecutive patients with GFAP-A attending Gifu University Hospital in Japan. We compared the demographics, clinical features, cerebrospinal fluid characteristics, and neuroimaging findings from patients with and without movement disorders. Seventy-four patients (85%) had movement disorders, including ataxia (49%), tremor (45%), myoclonus (37%), dyskinesia (2%), opsoclonus (2%), rigidity (2%), myokymia (1%), and choreoathetosis (1%). GFAP-A patients with movement disorders were significantly older than those without. Movement disorders are therefore common in GFAP-A patients, and the main types of movement disorders observed in this population were ataxia, tremor, and myoclonus. These abnormal movements can serve as clinical features that facilitate the early diagnosis of GFAP-A. Elderly GFAP-A patients are more likely to have movement disorder complications than younger patients.