Electroencephalography of autoimmune limbic encephalopathy

There is an increasing recognition of autoimmune limbic encephalopathy with the hope for earlier diagnosis and expedited and improved treatment. Although antibody testing remains the definitive clinical diagnostic feature, the presentation of a rapid dementia, behavioral changes, and seizures leads to investigation using cerebral imaging, electroencephalography, and cerebrospinal fluid to confirm the diagnosis and also to exclude similar disorders. The electroencephalographer may be asked to comment on the types of electroencephalography abnormality and provide input toward the diagnosis of limbic encephalopathy. This article reviews the literature on limbic paraneoplastic and nonparaneoplastic encephalopathies, providing descriptions and examples of the electroencephalography findings. Typically, there are patterns of slow theta and delta activity and different patterns of temporal and frontal epileptic activity.