Anti-N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor encephalitis mimicking a primary psychiatric disorder in an adolescent

Anti-N-methyl-D-aspartate (anti-NMDA) receptor encephalitis likely has a wider clinical spectrum than previously recognized. This article reports a previously healthy 16-year-old girl who was diagnosed with anti-NMDA receptor encephalitis 3 months after onset of severe depression with psychotic feat...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inJournal of child neurology Vol. 27; no. 12; p. 1607
Main Authors Lebon, Sébastien, Mayor-Dubois, Claire, Popea, Irina, Poloni, Claudia, Selvadoray, Nalini, Gumy, Alain, Roulet-Perez, Eliane
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published United States 01.12.2012
Subjects
Adolescent
Antibodies - blood
Encephalitis - diagnosis
Encephalitis - immunology
Female
Humans
Mental Disorders - physiopathology
Neuropsychological Tests
Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate - immunology
Verbal Behavior - physiology
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Summary:Anti-N-methyl-D-aspartate (anti-NMDA) receptor encephalitis likely has a wider clinical spectrum than previously recognized. This article reports a previously healthy 16-year-old girl who was diagnosed with anti-NMDA receptor encephalitis 3 months after onset of severe depression with psychotic features. She had no neurological manifestations, and cerebral magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was normal. Slow background on electroencephalogram and an oligoclonal band in the cerebrospinal fluid prompted the search for anti-NMDA receptor antibodies. She markedly improved over time but remained with mild neuropsychological sequelae after a trial of late immunotherapy. Only a high index of suspicion enables recognition of the milder forms of the disease masquerading as primary psychiatric disorders.
ISSN:1708-8283
DOI:10.1177/0883073812438099