Vernino Lab focuses on the mechanisms of autoimmune disorders of the nervous system. We use a variety of techniques including animal physiology, cellular electrophysiology, histology, and immunology.
The immune system plays a primary role in many serious diseases of the nervous system including multiple sclerosis, myasthenia gravis, and paraneoplastic neurologic disorders. These autoimmune disorders are important because they are potentially treatable but may be undiagnosed or frequently misdiagnosed as another untreatable condition. Over the past 10 years, new laboratory (antibody) tests have been developed to help identify autoimmune neurological disorders and many clinical syndromes have been described. This is a growing and exciting area of clinical neurology.

Our lab has a particular interest in diseases associated with antibodies against ion channels. Voltage and ligand-gated ion channels allow nerve cells to have their unique electrical properties, and such antibodies could directly change how nerve cells function. Antibodies against the acetylcholine receptor on muscle are the cause of myasthenia gravis. Recent work in the laboratory has shown that antibodies against acetylcholine receptors on certain neurons are the cause of autoimmune autonomic neuropathy (a disease which causes severe problems with the automatic functions of the body—low blood pressure, loss of sweating, salivation, and tearing, and impaired digestion). These ion channel antibodies directly affect how nerve cells function.
In addition to myasthenia and autonomic neuropathy, ion channel autoimmunity appears to be important in other neurological disorders as well, including ataxia, seizures, memory disorders, and others. The laboratory research over the next few years will focus on characterizing several forms of ion channel autoimmunity using animal model systems in an effort to understand the immune mechanisms involved and the functional effects of antibodies on ion channel function. Furthermore, these studies of immune-mediated changes in ion channel function will improve our understanding of the role of specific ion channels in the normal nervous system and how nerve cells respond to immunological injury.
Meet the Principal Investigator

Steven Vernino, M.D., Ph.D.
Vice Chair for Education & Faculty Affairs
Professor
Endowed Title: Rex Griswold Distinguished Professorship in Multiple System Atrophy; Distinguished Teaching Professor; Dr. Bob and Jean Smith Foundation Distinguished Chair in Neuromuscular Disease Research
Department: Neurology
Lab Members
Featured Publications
Featured Publications
Ganglionic Acetylcholine Receptor Antibodies in Postural Tachycardia Syndrome.
Bryarly M, Raj SR, Phillips L, Hynan LS, Okamoto LE, Arnold AC, Paranjape SY, Vernino M, Black BK, Vernino S, 2021 Aug Neurol Clin Pract 4 11 e397-e401Neurological Autoantibody Prevalence in Epilepsy of Unknown Etiology.
Dubey D, Alqallaf A, Hays R, Freeman M, Chen K, Ding K, Agostini M, Vernino S 2017 Feb JAMA NeurolSeronegative autoimmune autonomic neuropathy: a distinct clinical entity.
Golden EP, Bryarly MA, Vernino S 2017 Dec Clin. Auton. Res.A Unique Manifestation of Pupillary Fatigue in Autoimmune Autonomic Ganglionopathy.
Muppidi S, Scribner M, Gibbons CH, Adams-Huet B, Spaeth EB, Vernino S 2012 May Arch. Neurol. 5 69 644-8Autonomic ganglia, acetylcholine receptor antibodies, and autoimmune ganglionopathy.
Vernino S, Hopkins S, Wang Z 2009 Mar Auton Neurosci 1-2 146 3-7Characterization of ganglionic acetylcholine receptor autoantibodies.
Vernino S, Lindstrom J, Hopkins S, Wang Z, Low PA 2008 Jun J. Neuroimmunol. 1 197 63-9Autoimmune autonomic ganglionopathy: IgG effects on ganglionic acetylcholine receptor current.
Wang Z, Low PA, Jordan J, Freeman R, Gibbons CH, Schroeder C, Sandroni P, Vernino S 2007 May Neurology 22 68 1917-21Reversible autoimmune limbic encephalitis associated with potassium channel antibodies
Thieben MJ, Boeve BF, Aksamit AJ, Keegan BM, Lennon VA, Vernino S 2004 62 1177-1182Immunomodulatory treatment trial for paraneoplastic neurological disorders
Vernino S, O’Neill BP, Marks RS, O’Fallon JR, Kimmel DW 2004 6 55-62Autoantibodies to ganglionic acetylcholine receptors in autoimmune autonomic neuropathies.
Vernino S, Low PA, Fealey RD, Stewart JD, Farrugia G, Lennon VA 2000 Sep N. Engl. J. Med. 12 343 847-55Autoantibodies to ganglionic acetylcholine receptors in autoimmune autonomic neuropathies
Vernino S, Low PA, Fealey RD, Stewart JD, Farrugia G, Lennon VA 2000 21;343(12) 847-55All Publications
Autoimmune encephalitis: proposed recommendations for symptomatic and long-term management.
Abboud H, Probasco J, Irani SR, Ances B, Benavides DR, Bradshaw M, Christo PP, Dale RC, Fernandez-Fournier M, Flanagan EP, Gadoth A, George P, Grebenciucova E, Jammoul A, Lee ST, Li Y, Matiello M, Morse AM, Rae-Grant A, Rojas G, Rossman I, Schmitt S, Venkatesan A, Vernino S, Pittock SJ, Titulaer M, 2021 Mar J Neurol Neurosurg PsychiatryAutoimmune encephalitis: proposed best practice recommendations for diagnosis and acute management.
Abboud H, Probasco JC, Irani S, Ances B, Benavides DR, Bradshaw M, Christo PP, Dale RC, Fernandez-Fournier M, Flanagan EP, Gadoth A, George P, Grebenciucova E, Jammoul A, Lee ST, Li Y, Matiello M, Morse AM, Rae-Grant A, Rojas G, Rossman I, Schmitt S, Venkatesan A, Vernino S, Pittock SJ, Titulaer MJ, 2021 Jul J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry 7 92 757-768Long-COVID postural tachycardia syndrome: an American Autonomic Society statement.
Raj SR, Arnold AC, Barboi A, Claydon VE, Limberg JK, Lucci VM, Numan M, Peltier A, Snapper H, Vernino S, 2021 06 Clin Auton Res 3 31 365-368Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome: JACC Focus Seminar.
Bryarly M, Phillips LT, Fu Q, Vernino S, Levine BD, 2019 Mar J. Am. Coll. Cardiol. 10 73 1207-1228Spinal nerve tolerance to single-session stereotactic ablative radiotherapy (SAbR).
Hrycushko B, van der Kogel AJ, Phillips L, Folkert M, Sayre JW, Vernino S, Hassan-Rezaeian N, Foster RD, Yamada Y, Timmerman R, Medin PM, 2019 Apr Int. J. Radiat. Oncol. Biol. Phys.1.7 mutation in a carbamazepine-responsive patient with adult-onset painful peripheral neuropathy.
Adi T, Estacion M, Schulman BR, Vernino S, Dib-Hajj SD, Waxman SG 2018 Jan-Dec Mol Pain 14 1744806918815007Autoimmunity in postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome: Current understanding.
Vernino S, Stiles LE 2018 Apr Auton NeurosciFaciobrachial dystonic spells: Presenting feature of autoimmune encephalopathy.
Dubey D, Alqallaf A, Warnack W, Gupta P, Harvey J, Vernino S 2017 Sep-Oct Neurol India 5 65 1149-1151Spinal Nerve Tolerance to Single-Session Stereotactic Ablative Radiation Therapy (SABR).
Medin PM, Hrycushko BA, Vernino S, Foster RD, Sayre J, Yamada Y, Van Der Kogel AJ 2016 Oct Int. J. Radiat. Oncol. Biol. Phys. 2S 96 S216Autoimmunity-associated autonomic failure with sympathetic denervation.
Goldstein DS, Holmes C, Sullivan P, Donadio V, Isonaka R, Zhong E, Pourier B, Vernino S, Kopin IJ, Sharabi Y 2016 Nov Clin. Auton. Res.Diagnostic and therapeutic strategies for management of autoimmune encephalopathies.
Dubey D, Blackburn K, Greenberg B, Stuve O, Vernino S 2016 May Expert Rev Neurother 1-13The major histocompatibility complex and antibody-mediated limbic encephalitis.
Stuve O, Vernino S 2016 Dec Ann. Neurol.Long-term safety of droxidopa in patients with symptomatic neurogenic orthostatic hypotension.
Isaacson S, Vernino S, Ziemann A, Rowse GJ, Kalu U, White WB 2016 Aug J Am Soc HypertensMSPrecise: A molecular diagnostic test for multiple sclerosis using next generation sequencing.
Rounds WH, Salinas EA, Wilks TB, Levin MK, Ligocki AJ, Ionete C, Pardo CA, Vernino S, Greenberg BM, Bigwood DW, Eastman EM, Cowell LG, Monson NL 2015 Jul GeneRituximab-based therapy and long-term control of autoimmune autonomic ganglionopathy.
Gupta A, Harris S, Vernino S, Naina HV 2015 Aug Clin. Auton. Res.Disproportionate pupillary involvement in diabetic autonomic neuropathy.
Yuan D, Spaeth EB, Vernino S, Muppidi S 2014 Nov Clin. Auton. Res.Effectiveness of multimodality treatment for autoimmune limbic epilepsy.
Dubey D, Konikkara J, Modur PN, Agostini M, Gupta P, Shu F, Vernino S 2014 Dec Epileptic Disord 4 16 494-9Slowly progressive ataxia, neuropathy, and oculomotor dysfunction.
Jordan JT, Samuel G, Vernino S, Muppidi S 2012 Oct Arch. Neurol. 10 69 1366-71The spectrum of clinicopathological features in pure autonomic neuropathy.
Koike H, Hashimoto R, Tomita M, Kawagashira Y, Iijima M, Koyano S, Momoo T, Yuasa H, Mitake S, Higashihara M, Kaida K, Yamamoto D, Hisahara S, Shimohama S, Nakae Y, Johkura K, Vernino S, Sobue G 2012 Oct J. Neurol. 10 259 2067-75Sudomotor dysfunction in autoimmune autonomic ganglionopathy: a follow-up study.
Kimpinski K, Iodice V, Sandroni P, Fealey RD, Vernino S, Low PA 2012 Jun Clin. Auton. Res. 3 22 131-6Clinical reasoning: A 41-year-old comatose man with absent brainstem reflexes.
Beh SC, Vernino S, Warnack WR 2012 Feb Neurology 7 78 e42-5Objective characterization of the relative afferent pupillary defect in MS.
Blazek P, Davis SL, Greenberg BM, Conger A, Conger D, Vernino S, Beh S, Stuve O, Saidha S, Ratchford JN, Green A, Calabresi PA, Balcer LJ, Frohman TC, Frohman EM 2012 Dec J. Neurol. Sci. 1-2 323 193-200Progressive weakness with respiratory failure in a patient with sarcoidosis.
Chaudhry P, Herndon E, Vernino S, Muppidi S 2012 Apr Arch. Neurol. 4 69 534-7Autoimmune autonomic ganglionopathy with reversible cognitive impairment.
Gibbons CH, Centi J, Vernino S, Freeman R 2012 Apr Arch. Neurol. 4 69 461-6Isolated neck extensor myopathy: is it responsive to immunotherapy?
Muppidi S, Saperstein DS, Shaibani A, Nations SP, Vernino S, Wolfe GI 2010 Sep J Clin Neuromuscul Dis 1 12 26-9Slowly progressive autonomic neuropathy with antiganglionic acetylcholine receptor antibody.
Koike H, Koyano S, Morozumi S, Kawagashira Y, Iijima M, Katsuno M, Hattori N, Vernino S, Sobue G 2010 May J. Neurol. Neurosurg. Psychiatr. 5 81 586-7Progress in the management of paraneoplastic neurological disorders.
Sadeghian H, Vernino S 2010 Jan Ther Adv Neurol Disord 1 3 43-52Sudomotor dysfunction in autoimmune autonomic ganglionopathy.
Kimpinski K, Iodice V, Sandroni P, Fealey RD, Vernino S, Low PA 2009 Nov Neurology 18 73 1501-6Multifocal paraneoplastic cortical encephalitis associated with myasthenia gravis and thymoma.
Hammoud K, Kandimala G, Warnack W, Vernino S 2009 Nov Arch. Neurol. 11 66 1407-9Autoimmune autonomic ganglionopathy with late-onset encephalopathy.
Baker SK, Morillo C, Vernino S 2009 Mar Auton Neurosci 1-2 146 29-32Antibody testing as a diagnostic tool in autonomic disorders.
Vernino S 2009 Feb Clin. Auton. Res. 1 19 13-9Direct and consensual murine pupillary reflex metrics: establishing normative values.
Hussain RZ, Hopkins SC, Frohman EM, Eagar TN, Cravens PC, Greenberg BM, Vernino S, Stüve O 2009 Dec Auton Neurosci 2 151 164-7Autoimmune autonomic ganglionopathy: treatment by plasma exchanges and rituximab.
Imrich R, Vernino S, Eldadah BA, Holmes C, Goldstein DS 2009 Aug Clin. Auton. Res. 4 19 259-62Prevalence and mechanism of bladder dysfunction in Guillain-Barre Syndrome.
Sakakibara R, Uchiyama T, Kuwabara S, Mori M, Ito T, Yamamoto T, Awa Y, Yamaguchi C, Yuki N, Vernino S, Kishi M, Shirai K 2009 Neurourol. Urodyn. 5 28 432-7Invited Article: Autonomic ganglia: target and novel therapeutic tool.
Vernino S, Sandroni P, Singer W, Low PA 2008 May Neurology 20 70 1926-32Combined immunomodulatory therapy in autoimmune autonomic ganglionopathy.
Gibbons CH, Vernino SA, Freeman R 2008 Feb Arch. Neurol. 2 65 213-7Antibodies to muscle and ganglionic acetylcholine receptors (AchR) in celiac disease.
Briani C, Doria A, Ruggero S, Toffanin E, Luca M, Albergoni MP, D'Odorico A, Grassivaro F, Lucchetta M, De Lazzari F, Balzani I, Battistin L, Vernino S 2008 Feb Autoimmunity 1 41 100-4Propofol for stiff-person syndrome: learning new tricks from an old dog.
Vernino S, McEvoy K 2008 Apr Neurology 18 70 1584-5Peripheral nerve hyperexcitability and the neuromuscular junction.
Vernino S 2008 Handb Clin Neurol 91 433-43Determination of gastric emptying in nonobese diabetic mice.
Choi KM, Zhu J, Stoltz GJ, Vernino S, Camilleri M, Szurszewski JH, Gibbons SJ, Farrugia G 2007 Nov Am. J. Physiol. Gastrointest. Liver Physiol. 5 293 G1039-45Postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome: the Mayo clinic experience.
Thieben MJ, Sandroni P, Sletten DM, Benrud-Larson LM, Fealey RD, Vernino S, Lennon VA, Shen WK, Low PA 2007 Mar Mayo Clin. Proc. 3 82 308-13EBV-associated lymphoproliferative disorder of CNS associated with the use of mycophenolate mofetil.
O'Neill BP, Vernino S, Dogan A, Giannini C 2007 Jul Neuro-oncology 3 9 364-9Dysfunction of the pupillary light reflex in experimental autoimmune autonomic ganglionopathy.
Mukherjee S, Vernino S 2007 Dec Auton Neurosci 1-2 137 19-26L-DOPS therapy for refractory orthostatic hypotension in autoimmune autonomic neuropathy.
Gibbons CH, Vernino SA, Kaufmann H, Freeman R 2005 Oct Neurology 7 65 1104-6Primary CNS lymphoma complicating treatment of myasthenia gravis with mycophenolate mofetil.
Vernino S, Salomao DR, Habermann TM, O'Neill BP 2005 Aug Neurology 4 65 639-41Speech and language findings associated with paraneoplastic cerebellar degeneration.
Paslawski T, Duffy JR, Vernino S 2005 Aug Am J Speech Lang Pathol 3 14 200-7Autoantibody profiles and neurological correlations of thymoma.
Vernino S, Lennon VA 2004 Nov Clin. Cancer Res. 21 10 7270-5From parallel to perpendicular: getting "straightened out" with levodopa therapy.
Glynn SM, Pittock SJ, Vernino SA 2004 Jun Mayo Clin. Proc. 6 79 828-9Immunomodulatory treatment trial for paraneoplastic neurological disorders.
Vernino S, O'Neill BP, Marks RS, O'Fallon JR, Kimmel DW 2004 Jan Neuro-oncology 1 6 55-62Passive transfer of autoimmune autonomic neuropathy to mice.
Vernino S, Ermilov LG, Sha L, Szurszewski JH, Low PA, Lennon VA 2004 Aug J. Neurosci. 32 24 7037-42Potentially reversible autoimmune limbic encephalitis with neuronal potassium channel antibody.
Thieben MJ, Lennon VA, Boeve BF, Aksamit AJ, Keegan M, Vernino S 2004 Apr Neurology 7 62 1177-82Muscle and neuronal autoantibody markers of thymoma: neurological correlations.
Vernino S, Lennon VA 2003 Sep Ann. N. Y. Acad. Sci. 998 359-61Immunization with neuronal nicotinic acetylcholine receptor induces neurological autoimmune disease.
Lennon VA, Ermilov LG, Szurszewski JH, Vernino S 2003 Mar J. Clin. Invest. 6 111 907-13Myokymia, neuromyotonia, dermatomyositis, and voltage-gated K+ channel antibodies.
Oh SJ, Alapati A, Claussen GC, Vernino S 2003 Jun Muscle Nerve 6 27 757-60Myasthenia Gravis, Thymoma, and Intestinal Pseudo-Obstruction: A Case Report and Review.
Rakocevic G, Barohn R, McVey AL, Damjanov I, Morte PD, Vernino S, Lennon V 2003 Dec J Clin Neuromuscul Dis 2 5 93-95Cause-specific mortality after first cerebral infarction: a population-based study.
Vernino S, Brown RD, Sejvar JJ, Sicks JD, Petty GW, O'Fallon WM 2003 Aug Stroke 8 34 1828-32Paraneoplastic neurological autoimmunity associated with ANNA-1 autoantibody and thymoma.
Vernino S, Eggenberger ER, Rogers LR, Lennon VA 2002 Sep Neurology 6 59 929-32Paraneoplastic chorea associated with CRMP-5 neuronal antibody and lung carcinoma.
Vernino S, Tuite P, Adler CH, Meschia JF, Boeve BF, Boasberg P, Parisi JE, Lennon VA 2002 May Ann. Neurol. 5 51 625-30ANNA-3 anti-neuronal nuclear antibody: marker of lung cancer-related autoimmunity.
Chan KH, Vernino S, Lennon VA 2001 Sep Ann. Neurol. 3 50 301-11Persistent facial myokymia associated with K(+) channel antibodies.
Gutmann L, Tellers JG, Vernino S 2001 Nov Neurology 9 57 1707-8Paraneoplastic and metastatic neurologic complications of Merkel cell carcinoma.
Eggers SD, Salomao DR, Dinapoli RP, Vernino S 2001 Mar Mayo Clin. Proc. 3 76 327-30New Purkinje cell antibody (PCA-2): marker of lung cancer-related neurological autoimmunity.
Vernino S, Lennon VA 2000 Mar Ann. Neurol. 3 47 297-305Fulminant autoimmune cortical encephalitis associated with thymoma treated with plasma exchange.
Rickman OB, Parisi JE, Yu Z, Lennon VA, Vernino S 2000 Dec Mayo Clin. Proc. 12 75 1321-6Myasthenia, thymoma, presynaptic antibodies, and a continuum of neuromuscular hyperexcitability.
Vernino S, Auger RG, Emslie-Smith AM, Harper CM, Lennon VA 1999 Oct Neurology 6 53 1233-9Coma in fulminant pneumococcal meningitis: new MRI observations.
Vernino S, Wijdicks EF, McGough PF 1998 Oct Neurology 4 51 1200-2Postpartum thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura complicated by Budd-Chiari syndrome.
Hsu HW, Belfort MA, Vernino S, Moake JL, Moise KJ 1995 May Obstet Gynecol 5 Pt 2 85 839-43Functional diversity of neuronal nicotinic acetylcholine receptors.
Patrick J, Séquéla P, Vernino S, Amador M, Luetje C, Dani JA 1993 Prog. Brain Res. 98 113-20Calcium modulation and high calcium permeability of neuronal nicotinic acetylcholine receptors.
Vernino S, Amador M, Luetje CW, Patrick J, Dani JA 1992 Jan Neuron 1 8 127-34Contact Us
Steven Vernino, M.D., Ph.D.
Professor of Neurology
Phone: 214-648-8816
Fax: 214-648-9129
Lab: 214-648-9275
Mailing Address
5323 Harry Hines Boulevard
Dallas, Texas 75390-8869
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