ANTI-NMDA RECEPTOR ENCEPHALITIS

Course overview

ANTI NMDAR ENCEPHALITIS IS A RELATIVELY COMMON AUTOIMMUNE ENCEPHALITIS CHARACTERIZED BY COMPLEX NEUROPSYCHIATRIC FEATURES AND THE PRESENCE OF IMMUNOGLOBULIN G (IGG) ANTIBODIES AGAINST THE NR1 SUBUNIT OF THE NMDA RECEPTORS IN THE CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM (CNS). IT IS THE BEST KNOWN AND LIKELY THE MOST COMMON TYPE OF IMMUNE-MEDIATED LIMBIC ENCEPHALITIS. ACUTE OR SUBACUTE NEUROPSYCHIATRIC SYMPTOMS ARE THE MOST COMMON PRESENTING FEATURES. EARLY DIAGNOSIS AND PROMPT IMMUNOTHERAPY TREATMENT CAN BE BENEFICIAL FOR THE OUTCOME. THIS ACTIVITY REVIEWS THE EVALUATION AND MANAGEMENT OF ANTI-NMDAR ENCEPHALITIS AND HIGHLIGHTS THE ROLE OF THE HEALTHCARE TEAM IN IMPROVING CARE FOR PATIENTS WITH THIS CONDITION.