Hot topics of autoimmune encephalitis

Within the last few years, a new group of diseases featured with cognitive impairment, seizures and behavior disorders was reported. And these diseases were commonly diagnosed as “viral encephalitis” and “sporadic encephalitis” than autoimmune encephalitis (AE) before AE had confirmed etiological. With the development of autoantibody serological tests, many patients who had been previously considered as patients with “viral encephalitis” can now be definitively diagnosed with AE. Currently, AE has become one of the hotspots in neuroimmunology. A retrospective review suggests that earlier treatment of N-methylD-aspartate receptor (NMDAR) antibody encephalitis in children results in better outcomes.[1] Also, there is another study that showed that people who received immunotherapy within 40 days from onset had a better recovery than those who received immunotherapy after 40 days from onset.[2] Therefore, early immunotherapy could improve the prognosis of AE. Also, treatment regimens vary from different types of AE. For example, anti-NMDAR (detected) encephalitis usually requires intensive immunosuppression, whereas encephalitis associated with LGI1 antibodies usually responds well to steroids alone.[3] The lower frequency of neurological relapses is likely due to better recognition of the disorder, earlier treatment, andincreasing use of second-line immunotherapy.[4] Early diagnosis of these disorders is, therefore, required.