Deiva Kumaran, Pera Maria Carmela, Maurey Hélène, Chrétien Pascale, Archambaud Frédérique, Bouilleret Viviane, Tardieu Marc
Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris, Hôpitaux Universitaires Paris-Sud, Hôpital Bicêtre, Pediatric Neurology Department, Le Kremlin Bicêtre, France; National Referral Center for Neuro-Inflammatory Diseases in Children and University Paris-Sud, Le Kremlin-Bicêtre, France.
Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris, Hôpitaux Universitaires Paris-Sud, Hôpital Bicêtre, Pediatric Neurology Department, Le Kremlin Bicêtre, France.
Eur J Paediatr Neurol. 2014 Nov;18(6):790-2. doi: 10.1016/j.ejpn.2014.06.002. Epub 2014 Jun 11.
Anti NMDA receptor (anti NMDAR) encephalitis is a well-characterized entity in children associating movement disorders, psychiatric features and speech difficulties. Novel phenotypes have been described in adults.
A 4-year-old girl presented partial seizures which evolved towards sudden and isolated Broca's aphasia. Anti NMDAR antibodies were positive in CSF and serum confirming anti NMDAR encephalitis. Clinical recovery was observed after a specific treatment.
This case widens the clinical spectrum of anti-NMDAR encephalitis in children and awareness of this newly identified symptom is important as early treatment is a predictor of good outcome.