Immunological disturbance in West and Lennox-Gastaut syndromes

Cell-mediated and humoral immunity were investigated in 18 patients with West syndrome, 12 with Lennox-Gastaut syndrome and 19 healthy controls. The study included determination of Ô and  peripheral blood lymphocytes, serum levels of IgG, IgA and IgM, skin sensibilization with DNCB, intracutaneous PHA, leucocyte migration inhibition test and lymphocyte blastic transformation in the presence of PHA. Cell-mediated deficiency was detected in 28 children whereas low levels of immunoglobulins were observed only in 6 children. Immunological disturbances were more prominent in children with West syndrome.

Demonstration of antibody and cellular immune response to brain extract in West and Lennox-Gastaut syndromes

We investigated humoral and cellular immune response to brain tissues in 15 patients with West syndrome, in 9 patients with Lennox-Gastaut syndrome and in 20 healthy children. High levels of a precipitating antibody to a saline extract of brain tissue were detected in all patients; leucocyte migration inhibition test with the same antigen was found to be positive in most of them. The role of this autoimmune response in the pathogenesis of West and Lennox-Gastaut syndromes remains to the elucidated.