Rosello R, Girela-Serrano B, Gómez S, Baig B, Lim M, Taylor S. Characterizing the features and course of psychiatric symptoms in children and adolescents with autoimmune encephalitis.
Eur Arch Psychiatry Clin Neurosci 2022;
272:477-482. [PMID:
34272976 PMCID:
PMC8938365 DOI:
10.1007/s00406-021-01293-5]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2021] [Accepted: 07/04/2021] [Indexed: 01/14/2023]
Abstract
Autoimmune encephalitis (AE) can present like a psychiatric disorder. We aimed to illustrate the psychiatric manifestations, course and management of AE in a paediatric cohort. Neuropsychiatric symptoms, investigations and treatment were retrospectively retrieved in 16 patients (mean age 11.31, SD 2.98) with an AE diagnosis at the liaison psychiatry services in two UK tertiary paediatric centres. Psychiatric presentation was characterised by an acute polysymptomatic (predominantly agitation, anger outbursts/aggressiveness, hallucinations, and emotional lability) onset. Antipsychotics produced side effects and significant worsening of symptoms in four cases, and benzodiazepines were commonly used. This psychiatric phenotype should make clinicians suspect the diagnosis of AE and carefully consider use of treatments.
Collapse