Cognitive Impairment in a Child With Anti-N-Methyl-D-Aspartate Receptor Encephalitis: A Case Report

Anti-N-methyl-D-aspartate-receptor encephalitis is a complex autoimmune inflammatory neurological disorder that presents with epileptic seizures and rapid functional deterioration, including movement disorders and cognitive impairment, especially in young patients. Despite aggressive initial treatment with immune therapy, such as corticosteroids, intravenous immunoglobulin, and plasmapheresis, patients often need intensive rehabilitative therapies for their long-lasting deficits. We report a pediatric case of anti-N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor encephalitis in Korea that presented with symptoms of muscle weakness of the four extremities, dysarthria, dysphagia, and cognitive impairment in the acute phase. The patient underwent 4 weeks of comprehensive rehabilitative treatment, including physical therapy, occupational therapy, swallowing rehabilitation therapy, cognitive rehabilitation therapy, and speech therapy. At the follow-up evaluation after 4 weeks of treatment, she showed significant improvements in limb muscle strength, balance ability, swallowing, language function, and the ability to perform activities of daily living. However, when assessed using the Korean Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-IV, there was little improvement in cognitive function, particularly in working memory. While only a few cases have reported the progression of cognitive function using a standardized cognitive evaluation tool in patients with anti-N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor encephalitis, this present case report adds to the accumulation of evidence of neurocognitive deficits in these patients.