Novel Case Presentation of Abulia After Lone Star Tick Bite As Evidenced by Raised Titers of Alpha-Gal Specific IgM Immunoglobulin and a Possibility of Alpha-Gal Driven Hypothalamic Dysfunction As the Pathomechanism

Galactose-α-1,3-galactose, an oligosaccharide epitope better acknowledged as α-Gal, is present in non-primate mammal meat, tick bites, microorganisms, and vaccines as a glycoprotein or glycolipid moiety. This can manifest hyperimmune reactions as it enters the human body, known as α-Gal syndrome (AGS). AGS and Guillain-Barré syndrome share cognate immunogenic pathomechanism via conquering immune tolerance further speculating galactose navigated neurological sequel. Unusual symptomatic presentation of abulia in our case, with incidental finding of high titers of α-Gal specific IgE immunoglobulin further supported by temporal resolution of symptoms on abstinence of meat products, raises a high degree of suspicion of neuro-psychiatric manifestation in sensitized α-Gal patients. The pathomechanism is blurry, and an absence of an objective diagnostic tool makes the neurological diagnosis challenging. α-Gal driven immune-related hypothalamic dysfunction could be a possibility that needs further exploration and is a topic of research.