Research

Treatment and prognostic factors for long-term outcome in patients with anti-NMDA receptor encephalitis: an observational cohort study Titulaer MJ, McCracken L, et al. Lancet Neurology; London 12.2 (Feb 2013): 157-65. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23290630 Anti-NMDA receptor encephalitis is an autoimmune disorder in which the use of immunotherapy and the long-term outcome have not been defined. We aimed to […]

Dale et al Brain. 2012 Nov;135(Pt11):3453-68. https://academic.oup.com/brain/article/135/11/3453/272463 Recent reports of autoantibodies that bind to neuronal surface receptors or synaptic proteins have defined treatable forms of autoimmune encephalitis. Despite these developments, many cases of encephalitis remain unexplained. We have previously described a basal ganglia encephalitis with dominant movement and psychiatric disease, and proposed an autoimmune aetiology. […]

Autoimmune Encephalitis Leypoldt F, Wandinger K-P, Bien CG, Dalmau J. European neurological review. 2013;8(1):31-37. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4910513/ The term autoimmune encephalitis is used to describe a group of disorders characterised by symptoms of limbic and extra-limbic dysfunction occurring in association with antibodies against synaptic antigens and proteins localised on the neuronal cell surface. Since many patients respond […]

Anti-N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor encephalitis: A targeted review of clinical presentation, diagnosis, and approaches to psychopharmacologic management Kruse et al Annals of Clinical Psychiatry. 2014 Feb;26(1):e1-9 https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Michael_Davis27/publication/260118368_Anti-N-methyl-D-aspartate_receptor_encephalitis_A_targeted_review_of_clinical_presentation_diagnosis_and_approaches_to_psychopharmacologic_management/links/559b423708ae5d8f39380611/Anti-N-methyl-D-aspartate-receptor-encephalitis-A-targeted-review-of-clinical-presentation-diagnosis-and-approaches-to-psychopharmacologic-management.pdf Anti-N-methyl-d-aspartate receptor encephalitis was formally described in 2007 and includes a range of psychiatric and neurologic symptoms. Most patients with anti-NMDAR encephalitis initially present to psychiatrists for diagnosis and treatment. […]

Autoimmune encephalitis in psychiatric institutions: current perspectives Bost et al. Neuropsychiatr Dis Treat. 2016; 12: 2775–2787. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5089825/ Autoimmune encephalitis is a rare and newly described group of diseases involving autoantibodies directed against synaptic and neuronal cell surface antigens. As neurological symptoms are fairly well described in the literature, this review focuses on the nature of […]

A clinical approach to diagnosis of autoimmune encephalitis Graus F, Titulaer MJ, et al. Lancet Neurology 2016 Apr; 15(4):391-404 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5066574/ Encephalitis is a severe inflammatory disorder of the brain with many possible causes and a complex differential diagnosis. Advances in autoimmune encephalitis research in the past 10 years have led to the identification of new […]

Anti-N-Methyl-D-Aspartate Receptor Encephalitis: A new challenging entity for consultation-liaison psychiatrist Maccaferri et al Brain Disord Ther 2016 May; 5(2):215 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4959779/ Anti-N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor encephalitis is a relatively newly identified autoimmune neuropsychiatric disorder that predominantly affects children and young adults. Although psychiatric symptoms are highly prevalent and frequently severe, it has mainly been reported in neurological, but […]

The diagnosis and treatment of autoimmune encephalitis Eric Lancaster J Clin Neurol. 2016 Jan; 12(1): 1-13. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4712273/ Autoimmune encephalitis causes subacute deficits of memory and cognition, often followed by suppressed level of consciousness or coma. A careful history and examination may show early clues to particular autoimmune causes, such as neuromyotonia, hyperekplexia, psychosis, dystonia, or […]

We would like to invite all individuals with a history of anti-NMDA receptor encephalitis (age 15-60 years at the time of symptom onset) to participate in a study of language. The AE Alliance is honored to be participating in a study led by Dr. Anusha Yekoshumar and medical student Kelsey Martin at The Icahn School […]

A group of researchers from the Autoimmune Neurology Group at the University of Oxford led by Dr. Sarosh Irani,  recently published an article in the Lancet Psychiatry, noting that a focus on the psychopathology is likely the most effective way to promote prompt recognition of NMDAR-antibody encephalitis. NMDAR-antibody encephalitis is an autoantibody-mediated disease that typically presents […]