Can Gluten Impair Brain Function: The Story of Gluten Ataxia

Gluten intolerance and gluten sensitivity have become common (and probably over-diagnosed) in the past 25 years.⁣
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While there is debate on the clinical relevance of many symptoms related to gluten sensitivity, no one debates the seriousness of the autoimmune disease known as 𝗖𝗲𝗹𝗶𝗮𝗰 𝗗𝗶𝘀𝗲𝗮𝘀𝗲.⁣
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Celiac disease is the condition that kicked off the awareness of the harm that gluten can cause for some patients. ⁣
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Celiac disease occurs when your body’s immune system forms antibodies that can bind to gluten. These antibodies are called anti-gliadin, and are used to screen the blood in celiac patients. ⁣
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These antibodies most commonly affect the gut and cause extensive damage in the intestines of Celiac patients causing excruciating pain.⁣
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While most people deny the presence of gluten-related illness outside the gut, there is a known disease process where gluten can affect the brain.⁣
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This is called gluten ataxia, and is present in up to 6% of Celiac patients.⁣

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The same antibodies that attack the gut can actually bind to neurons in the brain called Purkinje cells. These cells are in the cerebellum and are critical for balance and coordination.⁣
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Patients with gluten ataxia may be very off balance and clumsy. The disease may be severe enough that these patients may get misdiagnosed with multiple sclerosis!⁣
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However, the Brain effects from gluten ataxia may be reversible with a gluten-free diet.⁣
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The problem is that doctors may not know you have gluten ataxia unless you have a history of celiac disease, which only tends to occur when you have abdominal pain.⁣
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In the rare cases where there is no gut pain and there’s unexplained neurological signs of ataxia, it’s prudent to screen for anti-gliadin antibodies to see if the patient maybe cured with a gluten-free diet.⁣
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#glutenfree #neuroscience #celiac #autoimmune