Autoimmune Encephalitis Diagnosis & Misdiagnosis

Dr. Eoin Flanagan, Associate Professor of Neurology and Consultant in the departments of Neurology and Laboratory Medicine and Pathology at the Mayo Clinic (Rochester, MN), gives an outstanding presentation on how autoimmune encephalitis is diagnosed and red flags clinicians can look for that may indicate another culprit is at play.
Whether you are a clinician treating this group of diseases or a patient/family member, you will have a greater understanding of how an AE diagnosis is arrived at. Patients must meet the criteria of ‘Possible Autoimmune Encephalitis’ as outlined in the gold standard paper, A Clinical Approach to Diagnosis of Autoimmune Encephalitis, as a starting point for further investigation. The focus is always to reach an accurate diagnosis, so the patient can be accurately treated and receive the best long-term outcome.
Dr. Flanagan’s clinical expertise and research are focused on the diagnosis and management of autoimmune neurological disorders with an emphasis on inflammatory autoimmune spinal cord disorders and their mimics including their MRI patterns.
Autoimmune Encephalitis is a group of inflammatory brain diseases that are characterized by prominent neuropsychiatric symptoms. These patients are often believed to have psychiatric presentations, but they do NOT. Common clinical features include a change in behavior, psychosis, seizures, memory, and cognitive deficits, abnormal movements, dysautonomia, and a decreased level of consciousness. Psychiatrists and Emergency Room Physicians are often the first medical professionals who see these patients. It is vital that Clinicians consider the possibility of an autoantibody-related etiology and become familiar with the red flags suggestive of synaptic autoimmunity as the underlying cause in all cases of first-onset, out-of-the-blue psychosis. A high level of suspicion is necessary as autoimmune encephalitis is treatable with immunotherapy. Firm evidence shows that earlier recognition and treatment lead to improved outcomes. It is important to note, that the disorder is refractory to antipsychotics; indeed, antipsychotic agents make affected patients much worse, even to the point of developing something akin to neuroleptic malignant syndrome.
The International Autoimmune Encephalitis Society, (IAES), is the only Family/Patient-centered organization for people with a diagnosis of Autoimmune Encephalitis. Leading with integrity, IAES strives to advance services, education, increased awareness and research for this group of diseases. IAES provides science-based information backed by trusted medical experts in the field of autoimmune neurology and relies on the expertise of our Medical Advisory Board. We are an established non-profit organization with a history of supporting all-inclusive services from diagnosis to recovery and the many challenges experienced in that journey.
Visit our website: www.autoimmune-encephalitis.org
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