CASE REPORT article
Front. Immunol.
Sec. Autoimmune and Autoinflammatory Disorders : Autoimmune Disorders
Anti-GT1a Antibody-Associated Ocular Flutter: A Case Report
Provisionally accepted
- 1The First Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, China
- 2The First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, China
- 3China Medical University, Shenyang, China
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Mounting evidence suggests that anti-ganglioside antibodies play a crucial role in the pathogenesis of Guillain–Barré syndrome (GBS) and its variants. Among them, anti-GT1a IgG is most strongly associated with cranial nerve involvement. We report a rare case of a 26-year-old woman who developed ocular flutter and mild ataxia following an upper respiratory tract infection. Neurological examination revealed rapid, conjugate horizontal saccadic oscillations without intersaccadic intervals, along with a mildly ataxic gait. Brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and cerebrospinal fluid analysis were unremarkable. Serological testing revealed isolated positivity for anti-GT1a IgG, with negative results for other antibodies typically associated with paraneoplastic or autoimmune diseases, such as anti-GQ1b, anti-GM1, and anti-GM2 antibodies. The patient responded well to intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG), with marked improvement in both ocular flutter and gait disturbance. Although this presentation does not fulfill the diagnostic criteria for classic GBS, it likely represents a restricted variant within the anti-GT1a antibody spectrum. This case highlights the importance of recognizing atypical manifestations of ganglioside-associated neuropathies and supports early immunotherapy as a key factor in favorable outcomes.
Keywords: Anti-ganglioside antibody, Anti-GT1a antibody, anti-GT1a antibody-associated syndromes, Guillain-Barre´ syndrome (GBS) variant, Ocular flutter
Received: 11 Aug 2025; Accepted: 11 Feb 2026.
Copyright: © 2026 Liu, Yan, Feng and Ouyang. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
* Correspondence: Yi Ouyang
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