Autoimmune conditions
Stiff-person spectrum disorder
Stiff-person spectrum disorders can cause marked muscle stiffness and painful spasms, often triggered by movement or sensory stimuli. Immune mechanisms are involved, but the spectrum includes different antibody and clinical patterns.
Other names and abbreviations
SPSD · SPS · PERM · GAD65-antibody stiff-person syndrome · GlyR-antibody SPS · Stiff-person syndrome · Stiff-man syndrome (historical term)
Where transplant fits
Autologous transplantation has been studied in a small, selected population with variable response. It is not a routine treatment and uses the patient’s own cells, so no registry donor is needed.
Treatment depends on the exact diagnosis, disease stage, prior treatment and the person’s health. These categories are not estimates of donor demand.
Treatment at a glance
- Who it affects
- Often recognized in adulthood. Several related syndromes and mimicking conditions need to be distinguished during diagnosis.
- Other treatment options
- Symptom-relieving medicines, selected immunotherapy such as immunoglobulin, rehabilitation and management of triggers address daily function and disease activity.
- Cells used for transplantation
- When performed, transplantation uses the patient’s own blood-forming stem cells, usually collected from peripheral blood.
Why the details matter
A response in one phenotype does not establish benefit across the whole spectrum. Transplant carries serious toxicity and lacks definitive comparative evidence.
Questions to bring to your care team
What is the exact diagnosis or subtype? What is the goal of each treatment option? If transplant is being considered, why does it fit this situation, which cells would be used and what are the alternatives?
Sources and further reading
- Autologous Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation for Stiff-Person Spectrum Disorder: A Clinical Trial
Burt et al., Neurology · 2021 - Autoimmune Disease
EBMT Handbook · 2024-04-11 - 2025 EBMT practice recommendations for transplantation and CAR-T
EBMT · 2025
Understanding can become action.
Some patients need a blood stem cell donor. Others receive different treatment. Wherever your interest began, you can help JBF reach more people who may be able to donate.
Explore the official registry serving where you live. It explains who can join, how registration works and what donation involves.
Find your official registryIf joining is not right for you, a gift to the Jada Bascom Foundation supports education, outreach and referrals to official registries.
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