The long‐term outcome of neuropsychological function is favorable in patients with non‐malignancy related anti-GABA(B)R encephalitis: a case series

BACKGROUND: Anti-GABA(B)R encephalitis is a rare type of autoimmune encephalitis, which often presents with memory impairments, behavioral changes and seizures. This case series describes the neuropsychological function recovery pattern in five adult patients with anti-GABA(B)R encephalitis. CASE PRESENTATION: We recruited five patients with clinically confirmed anti-GABA(B)R encephalitis without any accompanying malignancy. Comprehensive neuropsychological evaluation was conducted on each patient. All the five patients were evaluated in the chronic phase. Five age and gender matched healthy adults were recruited as control group. Our study demonstrated that the neuropsychological function of the patients with anti-GABA(B)R encephalitis was no different with respect to the control group during the chronic phase (more than 6 months after onset). Moreover, one patients with neuropsychological evaluation at acute (within 2 months after onset of symptoms), post-acute (2 to 6 months after onset) and chronic phases respectively, presented neuropsychological function recovered as early as in the post-acute phase and only showed cognition impairment in the acute phase. CONCLUSIONS: The results of this retrospective study indicate a favorable long-term neuropsychological function outcome in adult patients with anti-GABA(B)R encephalitis, despite severe memory deficits occurring during the acute phase. These findings improve our understanding related to the prognosis of neuropsychological function in anti-GABA(B)R encephalitis.