Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) and chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyradiculoneuropathy (CIPD) are autoimmune-mediated inflammatory diseases of the peripheral nervous system (PNS). The umbrella term of GBS is several variants with distinct clinical and pathological features.

The most frequent from of GBS in the western countries is the acute inflammatory demyelinating polyneurophaty (AIPD), characterized by acute ascending paralysis, hyporeflexia with variable sensory involvement and histopathologically by mononuclear infiltrates and segmental demyelination. Chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy (CIPD) can be relapsing-remitting or progressive. Experimental Autoimmune Neuritis (EAN) is a widely accepted model of GBS and is induced by immunization with peripheral myelin antigens.