title: Bickerstaff's encephalitis.
abstract: Bickerstaff's brainstem encephalitis is a rare syndrome defined by the triad of ophthalmoplegia, ataxia and decreased consciousness. It is considered to be a variant of Miller Fisher syndrome and Guillain-Barré syndrome but is differentiated from the two by the presence of central nervous system involvement, commonly in the form of impaired consciousness. We present an unusual case of Bickerstaff's encephalitis, where the patient presented with pseudobulbar affect.
authors: Chelsea and Westminster Hospital, London, UK.
authors: Emma
authors: E
authors: Horton
authors: Department of Acute Medicine and General Internal Medicine, Chelsea and Westminster Hospital, London, UK.
authors: Sanjay
authors: S
authors: Krishnamoorthy
authors: Department of Neurology, St George's Hospital, London, UK.
authors: Lucy
authors: L
authors: Reynolds
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001259:Ataxia / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology*; D001323:Autoantibodies / Q000097:blood; D003244:Consciousness Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology*; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D004660:Encephalitis / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis*; D005732:Gangliosides / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D009886:Ophthalmoplegia / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology*
chemical_list: D001323:Autoantibodies; D005732:Gangliosides