Understanding and management of anti-N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor encephalitis from a child psychiatry perspective: report of five cases

ABSTRACT

Anti-N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor (anti-NMDAR) encephalitis is a rare autoimmune entity in psychiatry literature that occurs when antibodies attack NMDA-type glutamate receptors in the brain. Principle clinical features include a neurological domain such as seizure, orofacial dyskinesia, dystonia, and choreic-like movements of extremities. Also the psychiatric manifestations of this form of encephalitis may vary from psychotic-like symptoms to mood symptoms like depression or mania. Herein we report on five female child cases diagnosed with anti-NMDAR encephalitis, presented with both neurological and psychiatric clinical picture, and highlight the trajectory of disorder from a psychiatric perspective.

KEYWORDS:

• Anti-NMDA receptor
• limbic encephalitis
• acute psychosis
• depression
• neuropsychiatric disorders

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No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Ethical information

All parents/children involved provided written consent.

Data Availability Statement

All data underlying the results are available as part of the article and no additional source data are required.

Additional information

Funding

The author(s) reported there is no funding associated with the work featured in this article.