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. 2017 May-Jun;17(3):134-141.
doi: 10.5698/1535-7511.17.3.134.

"Autoimmune Epilepsy": Encephalitis With Autoantibodies for Epileptologists

Affiliations

"Autoimmune Epilepsy": Encephalitis With Autoantibodies for Epileptologists

Christian G Bien et al. Epilepsy Curr. 2017 May-Jun.

Abstract

Autoimmune encephalitides may account for epilepsies of so far unknown cause. These "autoimmune epilepsies" may respond well to immunotherapy. More than a dozen autoantibodies have been found with this constellation; therefore, broad autoantibody testing of serum-CSF pairs offers the best diagnostic yield. Several particular features raise the suspicion of an autoimmune cause in otherwise unexplained seizure disorders.

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Figures

Figure 1.
Figure 1.
Autoantigens in autoimmune encephalitides with seizures.
Figure 2.
Figure 2.
Suggestion for a treatment pathway in patients with “high-rank antibodies.” This treatment pathway is used in the author's (CGB) institution. It is based on previous recommendations (56).

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