Man recovers after rare brain disorder misdiagnosed as Parkinson's disease

Local 12 spoke with patient Rod Fussinger, his wife Claire, and UC's Joseph LaPorta about Rod's recovery from anti-IgLON5, a form of encephalopathy where antibodies attack the brain, that was initially misdiagnosed as Parkinson's disease.

Rod slept for days at a time, required a feeding tube and lost memory of significant events, such as his son's month-long visit. The family considered hospice care, but first sought a second opinion with LaPorta, DO, a physician researcher at the UC Gardner Neuroscience Institute.

"When I met Rod, it was actually in the hospital when he was in an almost comatose state, and that was less than a year from back when he was normal, and that's not how Parkinson's, Alzheimer's or its cousins progress," said LaPorta, assistant professor in the Department of Neurology and Rehabilitation Medicine in UC's College of Medicine.

Rod was treated with chemotherapy to eliminate the attacking antibodies. Within a year, he was alert and active.

"I had heard from his family he was doing better, but he stood up out of the chair and shook my hand, and this is a guy who wouldn't even interact with me, open his eyes," said LaPorta.

Rod advised anyone in his situation to seek second opinions and a medical team that will keep looking for answers.

"Yeah, I think they need to find somebody that will keep digging until they're sure because the different diseases are similar enough that if somebody is just busy wanting to get on to the next patient, it wouldn't be that hard for them to have a misdiagnosis, really," he said.

Watch or read the Local 12 story.

Featured photo at top of Joseph LaPorta. Photo/UC Health.