title: Anti-N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor encephalitis mimicking a primary psychiatric disorder in an adolescent.
abstract: Anti-N-methyl-D-aspartate (anti-NMDA) receptor encephalitis likely has a wider clinical spectrum than previously recognized. This article reports a previously healthy 16-year-old girl who was diagnosed with anti-NMDA receptor encephalitis 3 months after onset of severe depression with psychotic features. She had no neurological manifestations, and cerebral magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was normal. Slow background on electroencephalogram and an oligoclonal band in the cerebrospinal fluid prompted the search for anti-NMDA receptor antibodies. She markedly improved over time but remained with mild neuropsychological sequelae after a trial of late immunotherapy. Only a high index of suspicion enables recognition of the milder forms of the disease masquerading as primary psychiatric disorders.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatric Medico-surgical, Pediatric Neurology and Neurorehabilitation Unit, CHUV, Lausanne, Switzerland. Sébastien.Lebon@chuv.ch
authors.forename: Sébastien
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lebon
authors.forename: Claire
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Mayor-Dubois
authors.forename: Irina
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Popea
authors.forename: Claudia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Poloni
authors.forename: Nalini
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Selvadoray
authors.forename: Alain
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gumy
authors.forename: Eliane
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Roulet-Perez
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000906:Antibodies / Q000097:blood*; D004660:Encephalitis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000276:immunology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000503:physiopathology*; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D016194:Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate / Q000276:immunology*; D014705:Verbal Behavior / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D000906:Antibodies; D016194:Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate