Thalamic Lesions in a Toddler with Glutamic Acid Decarboxylase Autoimmune Encephalitis

Abstract

We present a child with glutamic acid decarboxylase (GAD) autoimmune encephalitis (AE) with bilateral thalamic lesions on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the brain. A healthy 21-month-old girl, after superrefractory status epilepticus (SE) and fever developed dyskinesia and ataxia, which we subsequently diagnosed as GAD AE. She showed remarkable response to treatment with methylprednisolone and intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIg). Following an initial normal MRI of her brain, a further brain imaging showed bilateral thalamic lesions. This is an unusual finding since brain imaging abnormalities, when found in GAD AE, mostly involve the mesial temporal lobe structures. Thalamic lesions in GAD AE have not been reported previously.

Keywords

GAD - limbic encephalitis - bilateral thalamic lesions - status epilepticus

• References

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