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Analysis of institutional authors

Gresa-Arribas, NAuthorPlanagumà, JAuthorPetit-Pedrol, MAuthorArmangue, TAuthorMartinez-Hernandez, EAuthorGraus, FAuthorDalmau, JCorresponding Author

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June 27, 2016
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Human neurexin-3alpha antibodies associate with encephalitis and alter synapse development

Publicated to: Neurology. 86 (24): 2235-2242 - 2016-06-14 86(24), DOI: 10.1212/WNL.0000000000002775

Authors:

Gresa-Arribas, N; Planagumà, J; Petit-Pedrol, M; Armangué, T; Martínez-Hernández, E; Graus, F; Dalmau, J; Kawachi, I; Katada, S; Glaser, CA; Simabukuro, MM
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Affiliations

Catalan Inst Res & Adv Studies ICREA, Barcelona, Spain - Author
Karolinska Inst, Dept Neurosci, Stockholm, Sweden      Karolinska Institutet - Author
Niigata Univ, Dept Neurol, Brain Res Inst, Niigata 95021, Japan      Niigata University - Author
Oakland Med Ctr, Div Pediat Infect Dis, Kaiser Permanente, San Francisco, CA USA      Kaiser Permanente - Author
Sant Joan de Deu Childrens Hosp, Pediat Neuroimmunol Unit, Barcelona, Spain - Author
Sao Paulo Univ HC FMUSP, Div Neurol, Hosp Clin, Sao Paulo, Brazil      Universidade de Sao Paulo       - Author
Univ Barcelona, Neuroimmunol Program, Biomed Res Inst August Pi & Sunyer IDIBAPS, E-08007 Barcelona, Spain.      Hospital Clinic de Barcelona    University of Barcelona    IDIBAPS - Author
Univ Barcelona, Neuroimmunol Program, Biomed Res Inst August Pi & Sunyer IDIBAPS, E-08007 Barcelona, Spain      University of Barcelona    Hospital Clinic de Barcelona    IDIBAPS - Author
Univ Barcelona, Serv Neurol, Hosp Clin, E-08007 Barcelona, Spain      Hospital Clinic de Barcelona    University of Barcelona - Author
Univ Calif San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143 USA      University of California San Francisco    University of California System - Author
Univ Penn, Dept Neurol, Philadelphia, PA 19104 USA.      University of Pennsylvania - Author
Univ Penn, Dept Neurol, Philadelphia, PA 19104 USA      University of Pennsylvania       - Author
      Catalan Inst Res & Adv Studies ICREA, Barcelona, Spain. - Author
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Abstract

To report a novel autoimmune encephalitis in which the antibodies target neurexin-3?, a cell adhesion molecule involved in the development and function of synapses.Five patients with encephalitis and antibodies with a similar pattern of brain reactivity were selected. Antigen precipitation and determination of antibody effects on cultured rat embryonic neurons were performed with reported techniques.Immunoprecipitation and cell-based assays identified neurexin-3? as the autoantigen of patients' antibodies. All 5 patients (median age 44 years, range 23-50; 4 female) presented with prodromal fever, headache, or gastrointestinal symptoms, followed by confusion, seizures, and decreased level of consciousness. Two developed mild orofacial dyskinesias, 3 needed respiratory support, and 4 had findings suggesting propensity to autoimmunity. CSF was abnormal in all patients (4 pleocytosis, 1 elevated immunoglobulin G [IgG] index), and brain MRI was abnormal in 1 (increased fluid-attenuated inversion recovery/T2 in temporal lobes). All received steroids, 1 IV immunoglobulin, and 1 cyclophosphamide; 3 partially recovered, 1 died of sepsis while recovering, and 1 had a rapid progression to death. At autopsy, edema but no inflammatory cells were identified. Cultures of neurons exposed during days in vitro (div) 7-17 to patients' IgG showed a decrease of neurexin-3? clusters as well as the total number of synapses. No reduction of synapses occurred in mature neurons (div 18) exposed for 48 hours to patients' IgG. Neuronal survival, dendritic morphology, and spine density were unaffected.Neurexin-3? autoantibodies associate with a severe but potentially treatable encephalitis in which the antibodies cause a decrease of neurexin-3? and alter synapse development.© 2016 American Academy of Neurology.
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Keywords

case seriescellsgeneneuroliginspresynaptic neurexin-3AdultAnimalsAutoantibodiesAutoimmune diseases of the nervous systemBrainCells, culturedEncephalitisFemaleHumansImmunoglobulin gLrrtm2 protein, humanMaleMembrane proteinsMicroscopy, confocalMiddle agedNerve tissue proteinsNeurexin iiialphaNmda-receptor encephalitisRatsSynapsesYoung adult

Quality index

Bibliometric impact. Analysis of the contribution and dissemination channel

The work has been published in the journal NEUROLOGY due to its progression and the good impact it has achieved in recent years, according to the agency WoS (JCR), it has become a reference in its field. In the year of publication of the work, 2016, it was in position 9/194, thus managing to position itself as a Q1 (Primer Cuartil), in the category Clinical Neurology.

From a relative perspective, and based on the normalized impact indicator calculated from World Citations provided by WoS (ESI, Clarivate), it yields a value for the citation normalization relative to the expected citation rate of: 3.24. This indicates that, compared to works in the same discipline and in the same year of publication, it ranks as a work cited above average. (source consulted: ESI Nov 13, 2025)

This information is reinforced by other indicators of the same type, which, although dynamic over time and dependent on the set of average global citations at the time of their calculation, consistently position the work at some point among the top 50% most cited in its field:

  • Weighted Average of Normalized Impact by the Scopus agency: 2.15 (source consulted: FECYT Mar 2025)

Specifically, and according to different indexing agencies, this work has accumulated citations as of 2026-04-12, the following number of citations:

  • WoS: 98
  • Scopus: 65
  • Europe PMC: 55
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Impact and social visibility

From the perspective of influence or social adoption, and based on metrics associated with mentions and interactions provided by agencies specializing in calculating the so-called "Alternative or Social Metrics," we can highlight as of 2026-04-12:

  • The use, from an academic perspective evidenced by the Altmetric agency indicator referring to aggregations made by the personal bibliographic manager Mendeley, gives us a total of: 152.
  • The use of this contribution in bookmarks, code forks, additions to favorite lists for recurrent reading, as well as general views, indicates that someone is using the publication as a basis for their current work. This may be a notable indicator of future more formal and academic citations. This claim is supported by the result of the "Capture" indicator, which yields a total of: 152 (PlumX).

With a more dissemination-oriented intent and targeting more general audiences, we can observe other more global scores such as:

  • The Total Score from Altmetric: 21.
  • The number of mentions on the social network Facebook: 2 (Altmetric).
  • The number of mentions on the social network X (formerly Twitter): 19 (Altmetric).
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Leadership analysis of institutional authors

This work has been carried out with international collaboration, specifically with researchers from: Brazil; Japan; Sweden; United States of America.

There is a significant leadership presence as some of the institution’s authors appear as the first or last signer, detailed as follows: First Author (Gresa Arribas, Nuria) and Last Author (Dalmau Obrador, Josep).

the author responsible for correspondence tasks has been Dalmau Obrador, Josep.

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Awards linked to the item

Supported in part by NIH RO1NS077851 (J.D.); Fondo de Investigaciones Sanitarias, FEDER, Spain (FIS PI12/00611, FG; FIS 14/00203, J.D.); Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain (CM14/00081, TA; CD 14/00155, E.M.-H.); Asociacion Espanola de Pediatria research grant from Dodot-Procter & Gamble (T.A.); and Fundacio CELLEX (J.D.).
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