title: Cognitive deficits following anti-NMDA receptor encephalitis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Anti-NMDA receptor (NMDAR) encephalitis is a recently characterised autoimmune disorder mainly affecting young women. Although the clinical features of the acute disease are well characterised, cognitive long-term outcome has not been examined in detail.
  
  
  METHODS
  The authors investigated cognitive performance in nine patients with proven anti-NMDAR encephalitis after recovery from the acute disease period (median 43 months after disease onset, range 23 to 69). Patients underwent a comprehensive neuropsychological assessment, including memory tasks that have previously been shown to be sensitive for hippocampal dysfunction.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Substantial persistent cognitive impairments were observed in eight out of nine patients that mainly consisted of deficits in executive functions and memory. The severity of these deficits varied inter-individually. Patients with early immunotherapy performed significantly better. The most severe deficits were observed with inefficient or delayed initial treatment.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results suggest that cognitive deficits constitute a major long-term morbidity of anti-NMDAR encephalitis. These deficits relate to the distribution of NMDARs in the human brain and their functional role in normal cognition. Good cognitive long-term outcome may depend on early and aggressive treatment.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Charitéplatz 1, 10117 Berlin, Germany. carsten.finke@charite.de
authors.forename: Carsten
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Finke
authors.forename: Ute A
authors.initials: UA
authors.lastname: Kopp
authors.forename: Harald
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Prüss
authors.forename: Josep
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Dalmau
authors.forename: Klaus-Peter
authors.initials: KP
authors.lastname: Wandinger
authors.forename: Christoph J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Ploner
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D060426:Anti-N-Methyl-D-Aspartate Receptor Encephalitis / Q000209:etiology* / Q000523:psychology*; D001323:Autoantibodies / Q000032:analysis / Q000097:blood / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid; D001327:Autoimmune Diseases / Q000150:complications* / Q000523:psychology*; D001921:Brain / Q000473:pathology; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000209:etiology* / Q000523:psychology*; D003118:Color Perception / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D007167:Immunotherapy; D007859:Learning Disabilities / Q000209:etiology / Q000523:psychology; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008569:Memory Disorders / Q000209:etiology / Q000523:psychology; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D011597:Psychomotor Performance / Q000502:physiology; D016194:Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate / Q000276:immunology*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D001323:Autoantibodies; D016194:Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate