Psychosis Secondary to Encephalitis and Encephalopathies

Psychosis due to encephalitis and encephalopathies is common and has been reported in multiple case reports or anecdotal observations. There are, however, few prospective studies or careful reviews summarizing this body of knowledge. In this review, we list a number of causes of psychosis that have been reported secondary to encephalitis and encephalopathies and focus in more detail on brain infections, inflammatory or demyelinating disease, temporal lobe epilepsy, and certain endocrine, metabolic, and nutritional deficiency states. Depending on the underlying etiology, the clinical features, course of illness, and treatment of these disturbances are quite variable. As systematic studies in these areas are lacking, there is a need for increased research to aid in the identification and management of psychotic conditions secondary to underlying encephalitis and encephalopathies.