The history of paraneoplastic neurologic disorders of the CNS, PNS, and autonomic nervous systems: Perspective on the past toward a brighter future.

Cases of paraneoplastic neurologic disease were described as early as the 1800s; despite two centuries of impressive progress in our understanding of immunity, autoimmunity, and paraneoplastic antibodies, we still have a lot to learn about these rare and devastating diseases. This chapter focuses on the history of paraneoplastic neurologic diseases of the central, peripheral, and autonomic nervous systems. Rather than attempting an exhaustive chronicle of every antibody discovered to date, we discuss key discoveries and concepts which laid the groundwork for our current understanding of paraneoplastic neurologic disease as a whole. The work of the pioneers described in this chapter, as well as many others, provides the foundation upon which future work in this field will be built. Reflecting on the incremental nature of scientific discovery, the critical observations which allowed for paradigm shifts, and the gaps in our current knowledge provides valuable lessons for future directions in this field.