INFORMATION ON STIFF PERSON SYNDROME

Stiff person syndrome may be defined as extremely rare neurological disease which is characterized by progressive weakness of muscles and spasm. stiff person syndrome starts with adult age. Subjects with stiff person syndrome feels difficulty in walking, size of curvature of spinal cord also increases.

CAUSES OF STIFF PERSON SYNDROME

The main factors which leads to the development of stiff person syndrome are:-

1. Autoimmune disorder.
2. Antibodies like glutamic acid decarboxylase.

SYMPTOMS OF STIFF PERSON SYNDROME

Symptom of stiff person begins to spreads from the back to legs and also involves arms and neck. In the beginning a subject will experience discomfort in back or stiffness/pain in the entire back, which increases with tension or stress. In the later part of disease, upper limb muscles also begin to be involved, especially when the person is stimulated, surprised, angered, upset, or frightened.

DIAGNOSIS OF STIFF PERSON SYNDROME

Clinically stiff person syndrome can be diagnosed by following test:-

1. EMG.
2. MRI.
3. Immunocytochemistry, Western blotting, ELISA (enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay), and radioimmunoassay (RIA) test for determining quantity of anti-GAD antibody a subject produces.

TREATMENT OF STIFF PERSON SYNDROME

Treatment for stiff person syndrome starts with medicines such as baclofen or a benzodiazepine.

In some subjects, a process named plasmapheresis is used of filtering the blood to remove excess antibodies. Intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) has also been used in the treatment of stiff person syndrome.