Encephalitis occurs when an infection or an autoimmune response causes the active tissues of the brain to become inflamed. There are various types of autoimmune encephalitis, including anti-NMDA receptor encephalitis, Rasmussen's encephalitis, Hashimoto’s encephalopathy, and more. For patients with autoimmune encephalitis, the onset of disease can be very rapid, occurring over a few days, or more slowly over the course of weeks to months. If left untreated, the disease can quickly become serious and lead to coma or permanent brain injury.
Symptoms of autoimmune encephalitis include personality changes, memory loss, hallucinations, seizures, and more. The disease constitutes a medical emergency, where "early treatment makes a major difference" to patient outcomes. Yet, diagnosis is often difficult and fraught with delays because of a lack of awareness and because symptoms are frequently mistaken for psychiatric ones. As of now, there are also no preventative measures for autoimmune encephalitis. However, Dr. Sarosh Irani, B.M.B.Ch., a neurologist and researcher at Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville, and his team aim to discover new ways to identify patients earlier to provide them with early treatment.
The Autoimmune Registry recently partnered with The Hashimoto’s Encephalopathy/SREAT & Seronegative Autoimmune Encephalitis Alliance, which aims to collect, archive, and share information regarding Hashimoto’s Encephalopathy (HE). They are currently working on their upcoming book, Hashimoto's Encephalopathy and Seronegative Autoimmune Encephalitis: 2024, which features patient stories, physicians, and up-to-date information on HE.
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