Gluten-Induced Neurological Disorders

Many people suffer from gluten and neurological disorders, and research is finding that the two can be related.

About Gluten

Gluten is a substance found in foods that include wheat, barley or rye. People with severe gluten intolerance suffer from celiac disease, in which the gluten attacks the villi on the intestine.

Significance

Celiac.com reports that 1 in 133 people suffer from celiac disease. The Gluten Free Gazette adds, "Nervous system disorders have been found in over 50 percent of newly diagnosed celiacs."

How it Happens

Gluten can penetrate the intestinal lining, enter the bloodstream and then travel to the brain where it can cause inflammation. Malabsorption of nutrients in the body also can occur, denying the brain the chemicals it needs to function. These problems in the brain then may develop into a neurological disorder.

Related Neurological Conditions

According to an article in the Canadian Journal of Gastroenterology in 2008, "Neurological Disorders in Adult Celiac Disease," celiac disease is associated with neuropathy, ataxia, dementia and seizure disorder.

Diagnosing

If an unexplained neurological disorder is present and gluten intolerance suspected, doctors will test for celiac disease by screening the patient's blood for antigliadin (AGA) and endomysium antibodies (EmA), and then perhaps obtain a biopsy of the intestines.

Treatment

If screening tests return positive, a strict gluten-free diet will be ordered. The NCBI warns, however, of no conclusion yet as to whether a gluten-free diet alone will improve the neurological disorder.