Autoimmune diseases of the central nervous system in childhood - diagnosis (MRI CNS), clinical course, and treatment.

Abstract

Autoimmune encephalitis is a group of autoimmune-related diseases of the central nervous system with the predominant involvement of the cerebral cortex. It is a heterogeneous group of conditions manifested by newly emerging neurological and psychiatric deficits in previously healthy children. These disorders differ in severity, clinical course, and aetiology. Unlike the adult population, non-paraneoplastic encephalitis is prevalent in children. Antineuronal antibodies are the most critical prognostic and therapeutic indicators. Antibodies are directed either against surface antigens or intracellular antigens. Autoimmune diseases respond favourably to immunotherapy. Therefore, rapid diagnosis and timely treatment are essential and can lead to faster recovery and lower rates of relapses and cognitive deficits. This article focuses on the diagnostic and therapeutic experience with the most common types of autoimmune encephalitis and antibody-mediated demyelinating syndromes in childhood at the University Hospital Ostrava.