Anti-NMDA-receptor Antibody Detected in Encephalitis, Schizophrenia, and Narcolepsy with Psychotic Features

Overview

Journal BMC Psychiatry

Publisher Biomed Central

Specialty Psychiatry

Date 2012 May 10

PMID 22569157

Citations 54

Authors

Ko Tsutsui

Takashi Kanbayashi

Keiko Tanaka

Shuken Boku

Wakako Ito

Jun Tokunaga

Akane Mori

Yasuo Hishikawa

Tetsuo Shimizu

Seiji Nishino

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Background: Causative role of encephalitis in major psychotic features, dyskinesias (particularly orofacial), seizures, and autonomic and respiratory changes has been recently emphasized. These symptoms often occur in young females with ovarian teratomas and are frequently associated with serum and CSF autoantibodies to the NMDA receptor (NMDAR).

Methods: The study included a total of 61 patients from age 15 to 61 and was carried out between January 1, 2005, and Dec 31, 2010. The patients were divided into the following three clinical groups for comparison. Group A; Patients with typical clinical characteristics of anti-NMDAR encephalitis. Group B; Patients with narcolepsy with severe psychosis. Group C; Patients with schizophrenia or schizo-affective disorders.

Results: Ten out of 61 cases were anti-NMDAR antibody positive in typical encephalitis cases (group A: 3 of 5 cases) and cases in a broader range of psychiatric disorders including narcolepsy (group B: 3 of 5 cases) and schizophrenia (group C: 4 of 51 cases).

Conclusion: In addition to 3 typical cases, we found 7 cases with anti-NMDAR antibody associated with various psychotic and sleep symptoms, which lack any noticeable clinical signs of encephalitis (seizures and autonomic symptoms) throughout the course of the disease episodes; this result suggest that further discussion on the nosology and pathophysiology of autoimmune-mediated atypical psychosis and sleep disorders is required.

Citing Articles

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