Rapid eye movement sleep behavior disorder and potassium channel antibody-associated limbic encephalitis

• Published in: Annals of neurology Vol. 59; no. 1; pp. 178 - 181
• Main Authors: Iranzo, Alex, Graus, Francesc, Clover, Linda, Morera, Jaume, Bruna, Jordi, Vilar, Carlos, Martínez-Rodriguez, José Enrique, Vincent, Angela, Santamaría, Joan
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Hoboken Wiley Subscription Services, Inc., A Wiley Company 01.01.2006; Willey-Liss
• Subjects: Aged; Antibodies - immunology; Biological and medical sciences; Disorders of higher nervous function. Focal brain diseases. Central vestibular syndrome and deafness. Brain stem syndromes; Electroencephalography; Electromyography; Human viral diseases; Humans; Infectious diseases; Limbic Encephalitis - complications; Limbic Encephalitis - immunology; Limbic Encephalitis - physiopathology; Magnetic Resonance Imaging; Male; Medical sciences; Middle Aged; Nervous system (semeiology, syndromes); Neurology; Polysomnography; Potassium Channels, Voltage-Gated - immunology; REM Sleep Behavior Disorder - etiology; REM Sleep Behavior Disorder - immunology; REM Sleep Behavior Disorder - physiopathology; Viral diseases; Viral diseases of the nervous system; Encephalitis; Nervous system diseases; Central nervous system disease; Sleep wake cycle; Rapid eye movement sleep; Potassium; Cerebral disorder; Behavioral disorder
• ISSN: 0364-5134; 1531-8249
• DOI: 10.1002/ana.20693

Of six patients registered in our center with nonparaneoplastic limbic encephalitis associated with antibodies to voltage‐gated potassium channels, the five men had rapid eye movement sleep behavior disorder (RBD) coincident with voltage‐gated potassium channel antibody–associated limbic encephalitis onset. In three patients, immunosuppression resulted in resolution of RBD in parallel with remission of the limbic syndrome. RBD persisted in two patients with partial resolution of the limbic syndrome. Our findings suggest that RBD is frequent in the setting of voltage‐gated potassium channel antibody–associated limbic encephalitis and can be related to autoimmune‐mediated mechanisms. In addition, these observations suggest that impairment of the limbic system may play a role in the pathogenesis of RBD. Ann neurol 2006