NMDA
Anti- NMDA Receptor Encephalitis
What encephalitis is?
Encephalitis is characterized to be an inflammation of the brain, which is often due to infection.
Not contagious
Not hereditary
What this type of encephalitis is?
Anti-NMDA receptor encephalitis is a disease where antibodies produced by the body’s own immune system attack the NMDA receptors in the brain.
What NMDA receptors are?
NMDA receptors are electrical impulse controllers in the brain.
Their function result in all autonomic functions such as; judgment, perception of reality, human interaction, the formation and retrieval of memory, and the control of unconscious activities
What encephalitis does?
Antibodies are an important part of the body’s defense system. All healthy individuals produce antibodies against viruses, bacteria or tumors.
In anti-NMDA receptor encephalitis, the body produces antibodies against NMDA receptors and they go on to attack these receptors where they are found in their highest concentration, which is within the brain.
The reasons why anti-NMDA receptor antibodies are formed is not yet fully understood.
Who is affected?
The majorly young adults and children but all the way up to people in their 80s.
Females are about four times more likely to be affected than males.
Symptoms
Flu-like symptoms
Memory deficits, including loss of short-term memory
Sleep disorders
Speech dysfunction
Cognitive and behavioral disturbances such as confused thinking, hallucinations, delusional thinking, disinhibited behaviors
Seizures
Movement disorders of the arms and legs and the mouth and tongue, but may include full body spasms
Catatonia
Loss of consciousness
Autonomic dysfunction
Central hypoventilation
Vision and/or hearing may also be impaired.
Diagnoses
Anti-NMDA receptor encephalitis is diagnosed by a detection of antibodies in the body fluids of someone with symptoms consistent with anti-NMDA receptor encephalitis.
Can be found in either blood or spinal fluid.
Spinal
What encephalitis is?
Encephalitis is characterized to be an inflammation of the brain, which is often due to infection.
Not contagious
Not hereditary
What this type of encephalitis is?
Anti-NMDA receptor encephalitis is a disease where antibodies produced by the body’s own immune system attack the NMDA receptors in the brain.
What NMDA receptors are?
NMDA receptors are electrical impulse controllers in the brain.
Their function result in all autonomic functions such as; judgment, perception of reality, human interaction, the formation and retrieval of memory, and the control of unconscious activities
What encephalitis does?
Antibodies are an important part of the body’s defense system. All healthy individuals produce antibodies against viruses, bacteria or tumors.
In anti-NMDA receptor encephalitis, the body produces antibodies against NMDA receptors and they go on to attack these receptors where they are found in their highest concentration, which is within the brain.
The reasons why anti-NMDA receptor antibodies are formed is not yet fully understood.
Who is affected?
The majorly young adults and children but all the way up to people in their 80s.
Females are about four times more likely to be affected than males.
Symptoms
Flu-like symptoms
Memory deficits, including loss of short-term memory
Sleep disorders
Speech dysfunction
Cognitive and behavioral disturbances such as confused thinking, hallucinations, delusional thinking, disinhibited behaviors
Seizures
Movement disorders of the arms and legs and the mouth and tongue, but may include full body spasms
Catatonia
Loss of consciousness
Autonomic dysfunction
Central hypoventilation
Vision and/or hearing may also be impaired.
Diagnoses
Anti-NMDA receptor encephalitis is diagnosed by a detection of antibodies in the body fluids of someone with symptoms consistent with anti-NMDA receptor encephalitis.
Can be found in either blood or spinal fluid.
Spinal