The Austrian Academy of Sciences, Austria's leading non-university institution, is not only renowned for its internationally acclaimed standards of science and research, but also for honoring outstanding researchers by presenting prestigious science awards. Dr. Anna Tröscher-Böhm, a microbiologist at the Department of Neurology (JKU Neuromed Campus), was presented with the Johann Wilhelm Ritter von Mannagetta Award in recognition of a paper published in the journal “Brain”.

Tröscher-Böhm’s paper titled “Temporal Lobe Epilepsy with GAD Antibodies: Neurons Killed by T Cells Not by Complement Membrane Attack Complex” focuses on research into the patho-mechanism of autoimmune encephalitis which can result in patients developing epilepsy. Up until now, however, it was difficult to understand why patients respond poorly to immunotherapy (in contrast to other autoimmune-mediated encephalitis) as well as to identify which part of the immune system is actually involved in the disease. Research revealed that cytotoxic T cells attack neurons directly and result in neuron loss, explaining the epileptic seizures. In most cases, patients are only diagnosed correctly once the disease has progressed to a late stage, by which time the neuronal damage is irreversible.