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Paraneoplastic limbic encephalitis: neurological symptoms, immunological findings and tumour association in 50 patients
Gultekin SH, Rosenfeld MR, Voltz R, Eichen J, Posner JB, Dalmau J.. Brain : a journal of neurology, 2000-07-01
Topic: Brain proteins, microglia and lab models
Patients with anti-Ta (also called anti-Ma2) antibodies were young men with testicular tumours (100%), frequent hypothalamic involvement (70%) and a poor neurological outcome. In the group of patients without anti-Hu or anti-Ta antibodies, the tumour distribution was diverse, with cancer of the lung the most common (36%); 57% had positive MRI. Fifteen of 34 (44%) patients with a median follow-up of 8 months showed neurological improvement. Treatment of the tumour appeared to have more effect on the neurological outcome than the use of immune modulation. Improvement was observed in 38% of anti-Hu patients, 30% of anti-Ta patients and 64% of patients without these antibodies.
Key findings
- Patients with anti-Ta (also called anti-Ma2) antibodies were young men with testicular tumours (100%), frequent hypothalamic involvement (70%) and a poor neurological outcome.
- In the group of patients without anti-Hu or anti-Ta antibodies, the tumour distribution was diverse, with cancer of the lung the most common (36%); 57% had positive MRI.
- Fifteen of 34 (44%) patients with a median follow-up of 8 months showed neurological improvement.
- Treatment of the tumour appeared to have more effect on the neurological outcome than the use of immune modulation.
- Improvement was observed in 38% of anti-Hu patients, 30% of anti-Ta patients and 64% of patients without these antibodies.
Why it matters
This study describes neurological symptoms, immunological findings and tumour associations in 50 patients with paraneoplastic limbic encephalitis, a condition related to cancer. It is not about Alzheimer's disease and reports no treatment, cure or prevention for it.
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Study details
- Participants50
- Evidence strengthLow
How this study scored 54/100
Published in a leading specialty journal. Scored zero for study design, effect reported and randomised / blinded because the record does not state it.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 9 / 10 | Tier 2 — leading specialty journal (Brain : a journal of neurology) |
| Journal's citation record | 4 / 4 | Brain: journal h-index 503 (OpenAlex, 2026-10-29) |
| Study design | 0 / 12 | No study design recorded — scores zero, not guessed (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Strength of evidence | 1 / 5 | Rated “low” in our summary |
| Peer-review validation | 10 / 10 | Peer-reviewed. Published as an article in a named peer-reviewed journal. |
| How recent | 1 / 5 | 2000 — older than 20 years, still counted |
| Sample size | 1 / 4 | 50 participants |
| Effect reported | 0 / 3 | No effect size reported — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Studied in people | 3 / 3 | Studied in people (participant count stated) |
| Randomised / blinded | 0 / 2 | No randomisation or blinding stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Times cited | 7 / 7 | Cited 1,123 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 4 / 5 | 40.1 citations a year over 28 year(s) since 2000 |
| Impact for its field and year | 4 / 6 | Cited 15.8× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 0 / 6 | No other study in this library cites it |
| Still being cited | 3 / 4 | Cited 88 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 2 / 4 | Last-listed author Sakir Humayun Gultekin: h-index 32 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 2 / 3 | Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center: institution h-index 1,931 (OpenAlex) |
| Multi-centre collaboration | 1 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 3 institution(s) in 1 country |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 10869059) |
| Free to read | 0 / 2 | Behind a paywall — scores zero |
| Total | 54 / 100 | — |
What each of these 20 components measures, and what this score is not →
Read the original
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Cite this study APA, Vancouver, BibTeX · download .bib or .ris
Built from the record alzhub holds for this paper, not looked up. Volume, issue and page numbers are not held in the record. Check the citation against the original before you use it.
APA 7th
Gultekin, S. H., Rosenfeld, M. R., Voltz, R., Eichen, J., Posner, J. B., & Dalmau, J. (2000). Paraneoplastic limbic encephalitis: neurological symptoms, immunological findings and tumour association in 50 patients. Brain : a journal of neurology. https://doi.org/10.1093/brain/123.7.1481
Vancouver
Gultekin SH, Rosenfeld MR, Voltz R, Eichen J, Posner JB, Dalmau J. Paraneoplastic limbic encephalitis: neurological symptoms, immunological findings and tumour association in 50 patients. Brain : a journal of neurology. 2000. doi:10.1093/brain/123.7.1481. PMID: 10869059.
BibTeX
@article{gultekin2000-10869059,
author = {Gultekin, S. H. and Rosenfeld, M. R. and Voltz, R. and Eichen, J. and Posner, J. B. and Dalmau, J.},
title = {{Paraneoplastic limbic encephalitis: neurological symptoms, immunological findings and tumour association in 50 patients}},
journal = {Brain : a journal of neurology},
year = {2000},
doi = {10.1093/brain/123.7.1481},
pmid = {10869059},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1093/brain/123.7.1481}
}
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