Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsSymptomsDiagnostic DelaysEffectsTreatmentSpecialistsCauses and Risk FactorsComplications and Management
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Symptoms
Diagnostic Delays
Effects
Treatment
Specialists
Causes and Risk Factors
Complications and Management
Autoimmuneencephalitisoccurs when the immune system becomes disrupted and attacks a person’s own brain tissue.Encephalitisis inflammation or infection of brain tissue. It causes symptoms such as confusion, loss of control of physical movements, and seizures.
All types of encephalitis are considered uncommon, including autoimmune encephalitis. Causes may include cancer or inflammatory disorders. This article describes the causes, symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment of autoimmune encephalitis.
Autoimmune Encephalitis: Brain Symptoms and Sensations
Symptoms may include:
You can have one or more of these symptoms, and the symptoms of encephalitis can begin suddenly and progress quickly.
Rasmussen’s Encepahalitis—A Type of Autoimmune Encephalitis
Diagnostic Delays in Autoimmune Encephalitis
Because encephalitis is not as common as other neurological conditions, such as stroke ormultiple sclerosis, the diagnosis may be delayed. Sometimes, if there are indications of inflammation affecting the brain, a diagnosis of infectious encephalitis might be considered.
Alumbar puncture(spinal tap) might be performed to analyze thecerebral spinal fluid(CSF) that surrounds the brain and spinal cord. During this procedure, a healthcare provider carefully places a small needle in your back, below the level of the spinal cord. Sometimes, this procedure is done with imaging guidance.
The procedure can be slightly uncomfortable, but it is safe. It takes about 10 minutes for the CSF to be collected and then sent to a lab for analysis.
The results of a lumbar puncture can be especially helpful in diagnosing autoimmune encephalitis. The pattern of immune cells and the presence of any other material (such as infectious material or protein) can help identify whether you have encephalitis and what type of encephalitis you might have.
Effects of Undiagnosed Autoimmune Encephalitis
Undiagnosed and untreated autoimmune encephalitis can be fatal.Inflammation may cause persistent seizures, and it can lead to permanent brain damage.
Consequences of untreated autoimmune encephalitis may include:
Typically, symptoms can be treated before a definitive diagnosis is reached, which may prevent complications.
Autoimmune Encephalitis Treatment
The treatment of autoimmune encephalitis includes therapies directed towards controlling the immune dysfunction, as well as therapies that can help manage the symptoms. Usually, the symptoms (such as seizures or loss of consciousness) require prompt medical attention.
Hospitalization
During hospitalization for autoimmune encephalitis, respiratory support (supplemental oxygenormechanical breathing) may be necessary, and antiepileptic medications are used for managing seizures. A comprehensive diagnostic evaluation would take place during the hospitalization.
The diagnostic evaluation may include:
Medications
Medications that may be used to treat autoimmune encephalitis may include anti-inflammatory treatments, such ascorticosteroids. These treatments may reduce the dysfunctional action of the immune system, preventing the immune attack on the body’s tissues.
Treatments to reduce the immune dysfunction can include:
Some people who have autoimmune encephalitis due to cancer may benefit from surgical removal of the tumor. Sometimes, when a tumor causing autoimmune encephalitis is surgically removed, the symptoms of encephalitis may resolve.
Symptomatic treatment may include antiepileptic medication for those with seizures, management of hormonal dysfunction for people experiencing hormone disruptions due to the immune process, management of blood pressure, and respiratory support with supplemental oxygen or mechanical breathing.
Specialists Who Work With Autoimmune Encephalitis Patients
Many healthcare specialists can help manage autoimmune encephalitis. The type of specialist you may need would depend on your symptoms and the cause of your condition.
Some specialists who might be involved in the care of autoimmune encephalitis include:
Why Does Autoimmune Encephalitis Happen?
Autoimmune encephalitis means the immune system attacks a person’s brain tissue, causing inflammatory damage.
Researchers have suggested that this may occur when the immune system responds to some type of infectious or environmental particle or cancer cell that may resemble brain cells or other brain tissue. Then the immune system begins to attack healthy structures in the brain.
Areas of the brain that can be targeted in autoimmune encephalitis are the cerebellum, cerebral cortex, or regions of the brain stem.
Causes vs. Risk Factors
It’s unclear why some people develop autoimmune encephalitis while others do not. Not everybody who has underlying risk factors, such as cancer, will develop autoimmune encephalitis.
Risk factors for autoimmune encephalitis include:
In addition to these risk factors, some people may develop autoimmune encephalitis without any identifiable cause.This would be described as an idiopathic condition.
Complications, Long-Term Effects, and Management
Complications and long-term effects may include:
Managing the long-term impact of autoimmune encephalitis may require medication or therapies, such as physical therapy or speech therapy. If you have recovered from autoimmune encephalitis, you can expect to follow up with your healthcare team, even after the inflammatory process has resolved.
Once you have stabilized, you may be referred to a specialist focused on managing your long-term symptoms.
Summary
Autoimmune encephalitis is a condition in which the body’s immune system attacks healthy brain tissue. There are several potential underlying triggers for this type of immune system dysfunction, including cancer and inflammatory disorders. This condition can also be idiopathic (without an identifiable underlying cause).
A variety of neurological symptoms may be seen in autoimmune encephalitis because of disruption of brain function. Sometimes, this condition can be treated with medications that reduce immune system function or with treatments targeting underlying cancer.
This condition is not common, and diagnosis can be delayed. Treatment to manage symptoms such as seizures may be started during the diagnostic process.
Autoimmune encephalitis can lead to serious and long-term consequences, and it may be fatal. However, this condition can be treatable, and it is possible to have a complete or almost complete recovery with treatment.
Encephalitis vs. Meningitis
5 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Uy CE, Binks S, Irani SR.Autoimmune encephalitis: clinical spectrum and management.Pract Neurol.2021;21(5):412-423. doi:10.1136/practneurol-2020-002567Lancaster E.The diagnosis and treatment of autoimmune encephalitis.J Clin Neurol. 2016;12(1):1-13. doi:10.3988/jcn.2016.12.1.1Konopka A, Jaz K, Kapłon K, Dylewska D, Tyszkiewicz-Nwafor M.Autoimmune encephalitis as a possible reason for psychiatric hospitalisation in the teenage population.Psychiatr Pol. 2023;57(4):843-852. doi:10.12740/PP/151125Kvam KA, Stahl JP, Chow FC, Soldatos A, Tattevin P, Sejvar J, Mailles A.Outcome and sequelae of autoimmune encephalitis.J Clin Neurol.2024;20(1):3-22. doi:10.3988/jcn.2023.0242Zhou Y, Chen H, Zhu M, et al.Clinical characteristics of autoimmune encephalitis with co-existence of multiple anti-neuronal antibodies.BMC Neurol. 2024;24(1):1. doi:10.1186/s12883-023-03514-x
5 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Uy CE, Binks S, Irani SR.Autoimmune encephalitis: clinical spectrum and management.Pract Neurol.2021;21(5):412-423. doi:10.1136/practneurol-2020-002567Lancaster E.The diagnosis and treatment of autoimmune encephalitis.J Clin Neurol. 2016;12(1):1-13. doi:10.3988/jcn.2016.12.1.1Konopka A, Jaz K, Kapłon K, Dylewska D, Tyszkiewicz-Nwafor M.Autoimmune encephalitis as a possible reason for psychiatric hospitalisation in the teenage population.Psychiatr Pol. 2023;57(4):843-852. doi:10.12740/PP/151125Kvam KA, Stahl JP, Chow FC, Soldatos A, Tattevin P, Sejvar J, Mailles A.Outcome and sequelae of autoimmune encephalitis.J Clin Neurol.2024;20(1):3-22. doi:10.3988/jcn.2023.0242Zhou Y, Chen H, Zhu M, et al.Clinical characteristics of autoimmune encephalitis with co-existence of multiple anti-neuronal antibodies.BMC Neurol. 2024;24(1):1. doi:10.1186/s12883-023-03514-x
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Uy CE, Binks S, Irani SR.Autoimmune encephalitis: clinical spectrum and management.Pract Neurol.2021;21(5):412-423. doi:10.1136/practneurol-2020-002567Lancaster E.The diagnosis and treatment of autoimmune encephalitis.J Clin Neurol. 2016;12(1):1-13. doi:10.3988/jcn.2016.12.1.1Konopka A, Jaz K, Kapłon K, Dylewska D, Tyszkiewicz-Nwafor M.Autoimmune encephalitis as a possible reason for psychiatric hospitalisation in the teenage population.Psychiatr Pol. 2023;57(4):843-852. doi:10.12740/PP/151125Kvam KA, Stahl JP, Chow FC, Soldatos A, Tattevin P, Sejvar J, Mailles A.Outcome and sequelae of autoimmune encephalitis.J Clin Neurol.2024;20(1):3-22. doi:10.3988/jcn.2023.0242Zhou Y, Chen H, Zhu M, et al.Clinical characteristics of autoimmune encephalitis with co-existence of multiple anti-neuronal antibodies.BMC Neurol. 2024;24(1):1. doi:10.1186/s12883-023-03514-x
Uy CE, Binks S, Irani SR.Autoimmune encephalitis: clinical spectrum and management.Pract Neurol.2021;21(5):412-423. doi:10.1136/practneurol-2020-002567
Lancaster E.The diagnosis and treatment of autoimmune encephalitis.J Clin Neurol. 2016;12(1):1-13. doi:10.3988/jcn.2016.12.1.1
Konopka A, Jaz K, Kapłon K, Dylewska D, Tyszkiewicz-Nwafor M.Autoimmune encephalitis as a possible reason for psychiatric hospitalisation in the teenage population.Psychiatr Pol. 2023;57(4):843-852. doi:10.12740/PP/151125
Kvam KA, Stahl JP, Chow FC, Soldatos A, Tattevin P, Sejvar J, Mailles A.Outcome and sequelae of autoimmune encephalitis.J Clin Neurol.2024;20(1):3-22. doi:10.3988/jcn.2023.0242
Zhou Y, Chen H, Zhu M, et al.Clinical characteristics of autoimmune encephalitis with co-existence of multiple anti-neuronal antibodies.BMC Neurol. 2024;24(1):1. doi:10.1186/s12883-023-03514-x
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