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Start free with EleplanNMDA receptor encephalitis
ORPHA:217253Disease
Also called Limbic encephalitis with N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor antibodies · Limbic encephalitis with NMDA receptor antibodies · N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor encephalitis · NMDARE · anti-NMDA receptor encephalitis
What it is
A rare limbic encephalitis characterized by the presence of autoantibodies against NMDA receptors in serum and cerebrospinal fluid. It may be of paraneoplastic (most commonly associated with ovarian teratoma) or non-paraneoplastic origin and is life-threatening but potentially treatable. Patients present with acute behavioral change, psychosis, and catatonia, rapidly progressing to seizures, memory deficit, dyskinesias, speech problems, and autonomic and breathing dysregulation.
Key facts
- Age of onset
- All ages
- Inheritance
- Not applicable
- Classified as
- Disease
Signs and symptoms
Very common80–99%
8Common30–79%
14Sometimes5–29%
25- Abnormal repetitive mannerisms
- Abnormal sudomotor regulation
- Agitation
- Amplification of sexual behavior
- Chorea
- Choreoathetosis
- Delirium
- Depression
and 17 more in this range
These ranges are how often a sign appears across everyone diagnosed, not a prediction for one person — most people have some of these and not others. Orphanet also records findings that are specifically absent in this disease; those are in the data but not listed here.
ICD-10 codes
Cross-references
Orphadata Science: Free access data from Orphanet. © INSERM 1999. Data version 2026-06-23. Available under CC BY 4.0. This is a reference, not medical advice.
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