Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 26, 2026

A Simple Cell-based Immunofluorescence Assay to Detect Autoantibody Against the N-Methyl-D-Aspartate (NMDA) Receptor in Blood
07:20

A Simple Cell-based Immunofluorescence Assay to Detect Autoantibody Against the N-Methyl-D-Aspartate (NMDA) Receptor in Blood

Published on: January 9, 2018

Anti-N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor encephalitis with minimal cortical impairment

Erdem Tüzün, Recai Türkoğlu, Sami M Yumerhodzha

    Neurological Sciences : Official Journal of the Italian Neurological Society and of the Italian Society of Clinical Neurophysiology
    |January 11, 2012
    PubMed

    Anti-N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor (NMDAR) encephalitis has been recently identified as a fulminant encephalopathy, presenting with a variety of symptoms including behavioral change, amnesia and seizures suggesting cortical gray matter involvement. A 42-year-old woman presented with acute-onset clinical and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings indicating brainstem and diencephalon involvement. Her neuropsychological examination revealed mild frontal dysfunction with no memory impairment. Detailed diagnostic workup proved negative except for serum/cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) NMDAR-antibodies and increased activity in inguinal and pelvic lymph nodes on positron-emission tomography (PET) examination. The symptoms and MRI findings completely resolved following steroid treatment. A 38-year-old woman presented with migraine-type headache and episodes of forgetfulness. Her brain MRI and neuropsychological examination were normal and diagnostic workup was unremarkable. N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor antibodies were identified in her sera and her symptoms spontaneously resolved within few months. Our cases suggest that anti-NMDAR encephalitis might present with minimal cognitive impairment, no apparent cortical gray matter involvement, a mild clinical course and without the classical clinical features of the disease.

    More Related Videos

    High-throughput Flow Cytometry Cell-based Assay to Detect Antibodies to N-Methyl-D-aspartate Receptor or Dopamine-2 Receptor in Human Serum10:19

    High-throughput Flow Cytometry Cell-based Assay to Detect Antibodies to N-Methyl-D-aspartate Receptor or Dopamine-2 Receptor in Human Serum

    Published on: November 23, 2013

    Hippocampal Neuronal Cultures to Detect and Study New Pathogenic Antibodies Involved in Autoimmune Encephalitis08:20

    Hippocampal Neuronal Cultures to Detect and Study New Pathogenic Antibodies Involved in Autoimmune Encephalitis

    Published on: June 2, 2022

    Related Concept Videos

    Encephalitis l: Introduction01:19

    Encephalitis l: Introduction

    Encephalitis is inflammation of the brain parenchyma, most often due to infections or autoimmune processes. It presents with neuropsychiatric features such as fever, altered mental status, behavioral changes, cognitive dysfunction, seizures, focal deficits, and sometimes autonomic instability. In some cases, the meninges are also involved, resulting in meningoencephalitis.Infectious CausesInfectious encephalitis is most commonly viral but can also result from bacterial, fungal, or parasitic...
    Encephalitis ll: Pathophysiology01:26

    Encephalitis ll: Pathophysiology

    Encephalitis is inflammation of the brain parenchyma caused by direct viral invasion or immune-mediated mechanisms triggered by infections or tumors. Both processes lead to neuronal injury, disrupted neurotransmission, and diverse neurological symptoms, often with overlapping clinical and pathological features.Autoimmune EncephalitisIn autoimmune encephalitis, antibodies target neuronal antigens on cell surfaces, synapses, or within neurons. A key example is anti-NMDAR encephalitis, which can...
    Arboviral Encephalitis01:25

    Arboviral Encephalitis

    Arboviral encephalitis refers to brain inflammation caused by arthropod-borne viruses, particularly those transmitted through mosquito vectors. Among these, West Nile virus (WNV), a member of the Flaviviridae family, is a significant public health concern. WNV is an enveloped, positive-sense, single-stranded RNA virus. Human infection typically begins when an infected mosquito introduces the virus into the dermis during feeding. The primary transmission cycle involves birds as amplifying hosts...
    Multiple Sclerosis l: Introduction01:19

    Multiple Sclerosis l: Introduction

    Multiple sclerosis is a chronic autoimmune disease of the central nervous system (CNS) that affects the brain, spinal cord, and optic nerves. It is an inflammatory demyelinating disorder and a leading cause of neurological disability in young adults.EpidemiologyMS commonly begins between 20 and 40 years of age and is twice as common in women. Its exact cause remains unclear, but genetic susceptibility contributes, with higher risk in first-degree relatives and identical twins. A greater...
    Hepatic Encephalopathy01:29

    Hepatic Encephalopathy

    DefinitionHepatic encephalopathy is a reversible neurologic syndrome that results from advanced liver dysfunction or portosystemic shunting. It leads to disturbances in cognition, behavior, and motor function due to the brain’s exposure to gut-derived toxins that the liver fails to detoxify.EtiologyThis condition develops either in the setting of acute fulminant hepatitis or progressively during chronic liver disease, such as cirrhosis and portal hypertension. Portosystemic shunting—including...