A review of EEG in anti-NMDA receptor encephalitis

Anti-N-methyl-d-aspartate receptor encephalitis (anti-NMDARE) is common among autoimmune encephalitides (AE) and can present with protean features and nonspecific laboratory and neuroimaging results. Antibody testing is specific, but results are often delayed, and prompt diagnosis and treatment is vital given associated morbidity and mortality. Electroencephalography (EEG) may be a useful tool given ease of performance and short turn-around time for results. As such, we performed a systematic review of the literature on anti-NMDARE and EEG characteristics. We found that EEG is often pathologic in anti-NMDAR encephalitis, though at times nonspecific. A stronger focus on common EEG features in patient with this type of encephalitis and an effort to identify when these features are present in the course of the disease may allow for improved diagnosis, description and differentiation of anti-NMDARE.