[Autoimmune pathology in neuropaediatrics: what aspects have really undergone a change]

Autoimmune neurological diseases are an important group of pathologies in neuropaediatrics. The central nervous system was considered to be an immunologically privileged organ, as it protects itself from the surroundings by means of the blood-brain barrier. In recent years, however, reports have been published of a growing number of disorders produced by antibodies that react against neuronal or glial proteins and give rise to a wide variety of clinical conditions (epilepsy, encephalopathy, movement disorders, etc.). The same antibody can often cause different clinical manifestations and, in turn, different antibodies can be identified within the same disorder. Moreover, there are a number of clinical conditions that are highly suggestive of an autoimmune pathology in which we do not find any specific antibodies. Response to treatment is not always simple, and this has led to research on new immunomodulator treatments, other than corticosteroids and immunoglobulins. This review attempts to show the advances made in the diagnosis, treatment and prognosis of neuropaediatric autoimmune disorders.