An Overview of Autoimmune and Paraneoplastic Encephalitides

Area of Science:

• Neuroimmunology
• Neurology
• Clinical Medicine

Background:

• Autoimmune encephalitis (AE) and immune-mediated encephalitides are increasingly recognized neurological disorders.
• Their incidence and prevalence are comparable to infectious causes of encephalitis, posing significant morbidity risks.
• Delayed diagnosis and treatment exacerbate patient outcomes, necessitating broader clinical awareness.

Purpose of the Study:

• To provide a comprehensive overview of autoimmune and paraneoplastic encephalitides.
• To elucidate the clinical manifestations, diagnostic approaches, and management strategies for AE.
• To highlight recent advancements, including novel immunotherapy-related AE, infectious triggers, and overlap syndromes.

Main Methods:

• Review of current literature on autoimmune encephalitis.
• Integration of neuroanatomical localization with specific antibody-associated syndromes.
• Focus on clinically relevant information for diagnosis and management.

Main Results:

• Detailed review of clinical presentations, diagnostic criteria, and therapeutic interventions for various AE subtypes.
• Discussion of AE associated with intracellular and cell surface/synaptic neuronal autoantibodies.
• Inclusion of emerging topics such as AE secondary to cancer immunotherapies and infectious triggers.

Conclusions:

• Autoimmune encephalitis represents a significant and growing area of neurological disease.
• A systematic, neuroanatomically guided approach combined with antibody identification is crucial for diagnosis.
• Prompt and appropriate management is essential to improve patient outcomes and reduce long-term morbidity.