Anti N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor encephalitis: a game-changer?

Corinne E Fischer; Angela C Golas; Tom A Schweizer; David G Munoz; Zahinoor Ismail; Winnie Qian; David F Tang-Wai; Dalia L Rotstein; Gregory S Day

doi:10.1080/14737175.2016.1184088

Anti N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor encephalitis: a game-changer?

Expert Rev Neurother. 2016 Jul;16(7):849-59. doi: 10.1080/14737175.2016.1184088. Epub 2016 May 17.

Authors

Corinne E Fischer^{1

2

3}, Angela C Golas⁴, Tom A Schweizer^{1

2

5

6

7}, David G Munoz^{1

8

9}, Zahinoor Ismail¹⁰, Winnie Qian^{1

2}, David F Tang-Wai^{11

12}, Dalia L Rotstein¹³, Gregory S Day¹⁴

Affiliations

¹ a Keenan Research Centre for Biomedical Research , Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute, St. Michael's Hospital , Toronto , ON , Canada.
² b Institute of Medical Sciences , University of Toronto , Toronto , ON , Canada.
³ c Faculty of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry , University of Toronto , Toronto , ON , Canada.
⁴ d Department of Psychiatry , University of Toronto, Geriatric Psychiatry Subspecialty , Toronto , ON , Canada.
⁵ e Institute of Biomaterials and Biomedical Engineering , University of Toronto , Toronto , ON , Canada.
⁶ f Division of Neurosurgery, Department of Surgery, Faculty of Medicine , University of Toronto , Toronto , ON , Canada.
⁷ g Division of Neurosurgery , St. Michael's Hospital , Toronto , ON , Canada.
⁸ h Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology , University of Toronto , Toronto , ON , Canada.
⁹ i Division of Pathology, Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology , St. Michael's Hospital , Toronto , ON , Canada.
¹⁰ j Hotchkiss Brain Institute , University of Calgary , Calgary , AB , Canada.
¹¹ k Department of Medicine (Neurology and Geriatric Medicine) , University of Toronto , Toronto , ON , Canada.
¹² l UHN Memory Clinic , Toronto Western Hospital , Toronto , ON , Canada.
¹³ m Department of Medicine (Neurology) , University of Toronto, St. Michael's Hospital , Toronto , ON , Canada.
¹⁴ n Knight Alzheimer Disease Research Center, Department of Neurology , Washington University in St. Louis , St. Louis , MO , Canada.

PMID: 27123777
DOI: 10.1080/14737175.2016.1184088

Abstract

Introduction: Anti-N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor (NMDAR) encephalitis is an inflammatory disorder of the brain that has garnered significant interest within the medical and lay communities. There is a need for formal guidelines to assist physicians in identifying patients who should undergo testing for NMDAR encephalitis, recognizing the high potential for this potentially treatable disease to mimic more common disorders, and consequently remain undiagnosed.

Areas covered: This review highlights the impact of the discovery of NMDAR encephalitis on the fields of neurology and psychiatry, and discusses the steps that are necessary to improve recognition and treatment of NMDAR encephalitis. Expert commentary: While much progress has been made in our understanding of NMDAR encephalitis, much work remains to be done to delineate the underlying disease mechanisms and their relevance to brain function.

Keywords: NMDA receptor; delusions; encephalitis; hallucinations; psychosis.

Publication types

Review

MeSH terms

Anti-N-Methyl-D-Aspartate Receptor Encephalitis*
Humans
Neurology
Physicians
Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate*

Substances

Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate