Rituximab Was Effective for Treatment of Anti-N-Methyl-d-Aspartate Receptor Encephalitis in Early Adolescence in Initially Suspected Dissociative Disorder.

Abstract

OBJECTIVES:

Anti-N-methyl-d-aspartate receptor (NMDAR) encephalitis is an increasingly recognized etiology of psychiatric symptoms. Because patients with anti-NMDAR encephalitis frequently show aggression, mania, hallucination, depression, or delusion, they are initially diagnosed with schizophrenia or mood disorders. There is only 1 case report of an initially diagnosed dissociative disorder.

METHODS:

We obtained consent for the presentation and have not identified individuals for ethical reasons.

RESULTS:

We first report an adolescent female patient with anti-NMDAR encephalitis who was initially suspected of having dissociative disorder but was responsive to immunotherapies including rituximab. In this case, her symptoms and electroencephalogram findings were proportional to the antibody titer in the cerebrospinal fluid.

CONCLUSIONS:

It is important to consider the possibility of autoimmune encephalitis and immunotherapy including rituximab in cases of not only acute psychosis but also dissociation.

• Authors: Takashi Shibata, Hiroki Kawai, Shinji Sakamoto, Ko Tsutsui, Takashi Kanbayashi, Keiko Tanaka, Manabu Takaki
• Journal: Clinical neuropharmacology (Clin Neuropharmacol) 2021 May-Jun 01 Vol. 44 Issue 3 Pg. 99-100 ISSN: 1537-162X [Electronic] United States
• PMID: 33587488 (Publication Type: Case Reports, Journal Article)
• Copyright: Copyright © 2021 Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved.

Chemical References

• Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate
• Rituximab

Topics

• Adolescent
• Anti-N-Methyl-D-Aspartate Receptor Encephalitis (diagnosis, drug therapy)
• Dissociative Disorders
• Female
• Humans
• Psychotic Disorders
• Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate
• Rituximab (therapeutic use)