Case Report: Severe Adolescent Major Depressive Syndrome Turns Out to Be an Unusual Case of Anti-NMDA Receptor Encephalitis.

Frontiers in Psychiatry
Alexander MoldavskiF Markus Leweke

Abstract

Anti-N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor (NMDAR) encephalitis is a neuroinflammatory condition mediated by autoantibodies against the GluN1 subunit of the receptor. Clinically, it is characterized by a complex neuropsychiatric presentation with rapidly progressive psychiatric symptoms, cognitive deficits, seizures, and abnormal movements. Isolated psychiatric manifestations of anti-NMDAR encephalitis are rare and usually dominated by psychotic symptoms. We present a case of an 18-year-old female high school student-without a previous history of psychiatric disorders-with a rapid onset severe depressive syndrome. Surprisingly, we found pleocytosis and anti-NMDAR autoantibodies in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), despite an otherwise unremarkable diagnostic workup, including blood test, clinical examination, and cranial magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). After intravenous immunoglobulins treatment, a complete remission of the initial symptoms was observed. In a follow-up 5 years later, the young woman did not experience any relapse or sequelae. Anti-NMDAR encephalitis can present in rare cases as an organic disorder with major depressive symptoms without distinct concomitant psychotic or neurological symptoms. A clinical presentation such...Continue Reading

References

May 5, 2007·Nature Clinical Practice. Neurology·Lauren H SansingJosep Dalmau
Jan 19, 2008·The British Journal of Psychiatry. Supplement·Frauke Schultze-LutterJoachim Klosterkötter
Sep 16, 2010·Nature Reviews. Neuroscience·Giles E Hardingham, Hilmar Bading
Oct 1, 2011·Neuropsychopharmacology : Official Publication of the American College of Neuropsychopharmacology·Bita Moghaddam, Daniel Javitt
Mar 13, 2012·Journal of Child Neurology·Sébastien LebonEliane Roulet-Perez
Feb 26, 2016·Lancet Neurology·Francesc GrausJosep Dalmau
Aug 2, 2017·Neurology. Neuroimmunology and Neuroinflammation·Katharina Lang, Harald Prüss
Jul 12, 2018·Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavica·N WarrenC O'Gorman
Aug 24, 2018·Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery, and Psychiatry·Agnes van SonderenMaarten J Titulaer
Nov 1, 2018·The Journal of Neuropsychiatry and Clinical Neurosciences·Lucy L GibsonAnthony S David
Dec 5, 2018·The World Journal of Biological Psychiatry : the Official Journal of the World Federation of Societies of Biological Psychiatry·Johann SteinerPeter Falkai
Jan 6, 2019·Clinical Neurophysiology : Official Journal of the International Federation of Clinical Neurophysiology·S Jeannin-MayerL Mazzola
May 13, 2020·Neurotherapeutics : the Journal of the American Society for Experimental NeuroTherapeutics·Brad J KollsAlok K Sahgal

❮ Previous
Next ❯

Related Concepts

Related Feeds

Antipsychotic Drugs

Antipsychotic drugs are a class of medication primarily used to manage psychosis (including delusions, hallucinations, paranoia or disordered thought), principally in schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. Discover the latest research on antipsychotic drugs here

CSF & Lymphatic System

This feed focuses on Cerebral Spinal Fluid (CSF) and the lymphatic system. Discover the latest papers using imaging techniques to track CSF outflow into the lymphatic system in animal models.

Anti-N-Methyl-D-Aspartate Receptor Encephalitis

Anti-N-Methyl-D-Aspartate (NMDA) receptor encephalitis is a form of of brain inflammation due to antibodies against NMDA receptors. Discover the latest research on anti-NMDA receptor encephalitis here.