Anti-N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor encephalitis in China

N-methyl-D-aspartate receptors (NMDARs) are mainly distributed in the central nervous system, and play important roles in the mechanisms of learning and memory. A newly discovered disease caused by autoantibody to NMDAR has been described, and is called anti-NMDAR encephalitis. Patients with this disease often suffer from mental disorders, seizures and other encephalitis-like symptoms. Accumulated data suggests that the severity of the disease makes early diagnosis very important. Accurately detecting the autoantibody to NMDAR is considered to be the gist of diagnosis. Good prognosis is predicted in most patients, when treated properly. Immunotherapy is preferred in most cases. In China, this disease has been reported only for a few years, but sporadic case reports are also helpful for profiling