Predicting and monitoring outcomes in Autoimmune Encephalitis

Autoimmune encephalitis (AE) is an inflammatory disease of the brain.

This means that the body’s own immune system attacks the brain, just like it would if it were attacking a virus or bacteria, by producing an army of proteins called ‘antibodies’ which ‘attack’ healthy tissues. Treatment involves medications which suppress the immune system.

However, even after treatment some people with AE continue to experience effects from their disease such as fatigue and memory problems. It is difficult to accurately predict who this will happen to.

We want to find ways of predicting which people with AE are at greatest risk of these long-term effects so we can design better treatments for them.

In this study we will collect information from people with AE, including how their day-to-day life, energy levels and memory are affected. We will collect blood samples from participants and ask some participants to give samples of spinal fluid.

We will analyse these samples for cells and proteins which may help us to predict outcomes in AE and better understand the disease to improve treatments.