What clinical features should prompt me to suspect autoimmune encephalitis in a patient presenting with neurological symptoms?

When a patient presents with neurological symptoms, several clinical features should prompt suspicion of autoimmune encephalitis ¹.

• Seizures are a significant indicator and are often associated with autoimmune conditions (Gillinder and Britton, 2022).
• Patients may also exhibit a range of psychiatric manifestations (Ford et al., 2022). These can include new-onset psychosis, mood changes, or behavioral disturbances (Ford et al., 2022).
• Furthermore, autonomic nervous system involvement can be a key feature (Villagrán-García et al., 2024). This might present as unexplained changes in heart rate, blood pressure, or gastrointestinal function (Villagrán-García et al., 2024).

While general neurological conditions require careful assessment and referral ¹, the presence of these specific features, particularly in combination, should raise the index of suspicion for autoimmune encephalitis (Gillinder and Britton, 2022; Ford et al., 2022; Villagrán-García et al., 2024).