title: [Auto-immune encephalitis in psychiatric practice].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Our knowledge about auto-immune limbic encephalitis is increasing rapidly and it is now evident that patients with this disease can present with psychiatric symptoms.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To propose practical guidelines for the recognition and diagnosis of an underlying auto-immune limbic encephalitis in patients with acute psychiatric symptoms.
  
  
  METHODS
  We studied recent reviews on the topic and had discussions with psychiatrists, a neurologist and a neuroimmunologist in order to reach consensus.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Auto-immune limbic encephalitis is a rather rare but important diagnostic consideration in patients with acute psychiatric symptoms. We describe the different steps in the diagnostic work-up and mention features that can point to an underlying auto-immune encephalitis. These include atypical psychiatric symptoms, seizures, movement disorders and autonomic instability.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Since patients with autoimmune limbic encephalitis often present with psychiatric symptoms, curative treatment is often available and the prognosis depends on the delay from presentation to treatment, psychiatrists should be aware of the signs of an underlying autoimmune encephalitis which have been described in this article.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: de Witte
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kromkamp
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Schoenmaker
authors.forename: H C
authors.initials: HC
authors.lastname: van Mierlo
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Martinez-Martínez
authors.forename: S J M
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Palmen
authors.forename: I E C
authors.initials: IE
authors.lastname: Sommer
mesh_terms: D001323:Autoantibodies / Q000097:blood; D001327:Autoimmune Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology*; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D006801:Humans; D020363:Limbic Encephalitis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000276:immunology / Q000523:psychology*; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000276:immunology; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic
chemical_list: D001323:Autoantibodies