Pediatric Autoimmune Encephalitis: Practical Aspects

Autoimmune encephalitis is an inflammatory condition of the central nervous system that may involve a widely variable spectrum of clinical features. It can be divided into two main groups: with antibodies against intracellular antigens and with antibodies against surface antigens. The main clinical presentation is characterized by psychiatric symptoms, movement disorders and seizures. The differential diagnosis process should mainly consist of excluding infectious or other causes of encephalitis. Brain imagining, cerebrospinal fluid analysis and serology for a wide range of antibodies should lead to the diagnosis of a specific type of autoimmune encephalitis. Considering the fact that the disease may be paraneoplastic, appropriate tumor screening should be performed. Once the autoimmune etiology is established, treatment consists mainly of escalating immune therapies.