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Griffith SP, Wesselingh R, D'Aprano F, Seery N, Rushen T, Kyndt C, Long B, Seneviratne U, Kalincik T, Buzzard K, Butzkueven H, O'Brien TJ, Alpitsis R, Malpas CB, Monif M. Language impairments in seropositive and seronegative autoimmune encephalitis. Neurol Sci 2024; 45:3389-3398. [PMID: 38358549 PMCID: PMC11176237 DOI: 10.1007/s10072-024-07382-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2023] [Accepted: 01/30/2024] [Indexed: 02/16/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE Autoimmune encephalitis (AE) is a rare neuroinflammatory disease affecting the central nervous system. To examine language functions in patients with different subsets of AE consisting of seropositive and seronegative groups. METHODS Fifty-two patients were recruited from neurology departments in Melbourne, Australia, who met clinical criteria for possible AE. Language tests include the Naming Test from the Sydney Language Battery (SydBat), the semantic fluency trial from the Controlled Oral Word Association Test (COWAT), and the Vocabulary and Similarities subtests of the Weschler Abbreviated Scale of Intelligence-Second Edition. The results were standardised with normative data. RESULTS The mean age of our cohort was 52.5 years old, with the average time from hospital admission to recruitment being 38.41 months. At an aggregate level, none of the mean language test z-scores were below normative data. At the patient level, impairment rates were 18.37% for COWAT (animals), 28.57% for SydBat (naming), 4.65% for Similarities, and 4.55% for Vocabulary. Chi-squared goodness of fit tests indicated that observed performances were significantly below expected performances for the SydBat (naming) test (p < 0.0001) and COWAT (animals) (p = 0.004). DISCUSSION While, on average, language functions were within normal limits in patients with AE, but a subgroup exhibited lower performance in semantic fluency and visual confrontation naming, with impairment rates below expected norms. To advance understanding of language in chronic AE patients, exploring the impact of seizure burden, antiseizure medication use, and the relationship of language functions with other cognitive functions is crucial.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah P Griffith
- Department of Neurosciences, Central Clinical School, Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences, Monash University, Level 6, Alfred Centre, 99 Commercial Road, Melbourne, VIC, 3004, Australia
- Department of Neurology, Alfred Health, Level 6, Alfred Centre, 99 Commercial Road, Melbourne, VIC, 3004, Australia
| | - Robb Wesselingh
- Department of Neurosciences, Central Clinical School, Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences, Monash University, Level 6, Alfred Centre, 99 Commercial Road, Melbourne, VIC, 3004, Australia
- Department of Neurology, Alfred Health, Level 6, Alfred Centre, 99 Commercial Road, Melbourne, VIC, 3004, Australia
| | - Fiore D'Aprano
- Melbourne School of Psychological Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Nabil Seery
- Department of Neurosciences, Central Clinical School, Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences, Monash University, Level 6, Alfred Centre, 99 Commercial Road, Melbourne, VIC, 3004, Australia
- Department of Neurology, Alfred Health, Level 6, Alfred Centre, 99 Commercial Road, Melbourne, VIC, 3004, Australia
| | - Tiffany Rushen
- Department of Neurosciences, Central Clinical School, Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences, Monash University, Level 6, Alfred Centre, 99 Commercial Road, Melbourne, VIC, 3004, Australia
| | - Chris Kyndt
- Department of Neurology, Melbourne Health, 300 Grattan Street, Parkville, VIC, 3050, Australia
- Department of Neurosciences, Eastern Health Clinical School, Monash University, Box Hill Hospital, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Brian Long
- Monash Medical Centre, Neuropsychology Unit, Monash Health, 246 Clayton Road, Clayton, VIC, 3168, Australia
| | - Udaya Seneviratne
- Department of Neurosciences, Monash Health, Clayton Road, Clayton, VIC, 3168, Australia
| | - Tomas Kalincik
- Department of Neurology, Melbourne Health, 300 Grattan Street, Parkville, VIC, 3050, Australia
- CORe, Department of Medicine, Royal Melbourne Hospital, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Katherine Buzzard
- Department of Neurosciences, Eastern Health Clinical School, Monash University, Box Hill Hospital, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Helmut Butzkueven
- Department of Neurosciences, Central Clinical School, Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences, Monash University, Level 6, Alfred Centre, 99 Commercial Road, Melbourne, VIC, 3004, Australia
- Department of Neurology, Alfred Health, Level 6, Alfred Centre, 99 Commercial Road, Melbourne, VIC, 3004, Australia
| | - Terence J O'Brien
- Department of Neurosciences, Central Clinical School, Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences, Monash University, Level 6, Alfred Centre, 99 Commercial Road, Melbourne, VIC, 3004, Australia
- Department of Neurology, Alfred Health, Level 6, Alfred Centre, 99 Commercial Road, Melbourne, VIC, 3004, Australia
| | - Rubina Alpitsis
- Department of Neurosciences, Central Clinical School, Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences, Monash University, Level 6, Alfred Centre, 99 Commercial Road, Melbourne, VIC, 3004, Australia
- Department of Neurology, Alfred Health, Level 6, Alfred Centre, 99 Commercial Road, Melbourne, VIC, 3004, Australia
| | - Charles B Malpas
- Department of Neurosciences, Central Clinical School, Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences, Monash University, Level 6, Alfred Centre, 99 Commercial Road, Melbourne, VIC, 3004, Australia
- Department of Neurology, Alfred Health, Level 6, Alfred Centre, 99 Commercial Road, Melbourne, VIC, 3004, Australia
- Melbourne School of Psychological Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
- Department of Neurology, Melbourne Health, 300 Grattan Street, Parkville, VIC, 3050, Australia
- CORe, Department of Medicine, Royal Melbourne Hospital, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Mastura Monif
- Department of Neurosciences, Central Clinical School, Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences, Monash University, Level 6, Alfred Centre, 99 Commercial Road, Melbourne, VIC, 3004, Australia.
- Department of Neurology, Alfred Health, Level 6, Alfred Centre, 99 Commercial Road, Melbourne, VIC, 3004, Australia.
- Department of Neurology, Melbourne Health, 300 Grattan Street, Parkville, VIC, 3050, Australia.
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