News
Hina's Letter: A Mother's Moment to Breathe
2 July 2026
Dear Friend, I’m writing to you not as a fundraiser or a representative of a charity, but as a mother sitting on a park bench, finally taking a moment to breathe. My son, Dian, is living with autoimmune encephalitis, and our family has been walking this path for five years. I want to share our […]
Read More
Largest-ever review calls for integrated mental health care after encephalitis
30 June 2026
Largest-ever review calls for integrated mental health care after encephalitis A major paper identifying mental health consequences of encephalitis has been published by researchers including members of Encephalitis International’s Scientific Advisory Panel (see below for further information), and its CEO Dr Ava Easton MBE. Background While advances in diagnosing and managing encephalitis in the clinic have reduced […]
Read More
Emma's Letter: A Mother's Journey Through Encephalitis
29 June 2026
Dear Reader, I really wish I wasn’t writing this. I wish with all my heart that I didn’t know the turmoil that comes with having a very sick child. I can’t escape my memory of pleading for hospital staff to help our daughter, our daughter who until then, had rarely been ill. It is difficult […]
Read More
Psychology Today - The Two Sides of Music Therapy (June 2026)
29 June 2026
The Two Sides of Music Therapy Music healing is historic yet its role in brain rehabilitation is evolving. Visit Psychology Today to read the article by Encephalitis International’s Prav Prathapan on how neurological and social consequences of a brain injury can be addressed with music therapy. “Caring for someone with a brain injury is far […]
Read More
Refractory, Intensive Care-Dependent NMDAR encephalitis
29 June 2026
Refractory, Intensive Care-Dependent NMDAR encephalitis By Annabel Wallace, Encephalitis International Team Volunteer Background N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor encephalitis (NMDARE) is an autoimmune disease in which patient’s immune systems generate antibodies against the NMDAR protein expressed in the brain, resulting in severe neuropsychiatric symptoms. Since NMDARE was first identified in 2007, research has been devoted to understanding the […]
Read More
Encephalitis Seminar published in The Lancet
22 June 2026
Encephalitis Seminar published in The Lancet A landmark ‘Seminar’ paper on encephalitis has been published in The Lancet by members of Encephalitis International’s Scientific Advisory Panel (see below for further information), including CEO Dr Ava Easton MBE. Introduction Encephalitis is a global emergency that kills an estimated 100,000 people every year and leaves many survivors […]
Read More
Stem cell therapy for refractory epilepsy
5 June 2026
Stem cell therapy for refractory epilepsy By Dr Steven White, Consultant Neurophysiologist, Cromwell Hospital, London Epilepsy is one of the commonest serious neurological disorders, estimated by the World Health Organization (WHO) to affect around 50 million people worldwide. While many will respond well to medication, around 30% will continue to have poorly controlled seizures despite […]
Read More
Chicago, Conversations, and the Power of Connection
4 June 2026
Chicago, Conversations, and the Power of Connection By Dr Ava Easton MBE There is something about American Academy of Neurology Annual Meeting that feels both energising and grounding in equal measure. Perhaps it is the sheer scale of it – thousands of neurologists, researchers, clinicians, and industry partners gathered under one roof – or perhaps […]
Read More
From Wordle to F.L.A.M.E.S. – our recent awareness-raising journey
1 June 2026
77% of people have never heard of encephalitis – it is a statistic we use a lot at Encephalitis International. You don’t have to look far in the comments on any of our social media posts, YouTube or support forums to hear about multiple trips to hospitals, delayed diagnosis or treatment, and the devastation this […]
Read More
Celebrating our volunteers
1 June 2026
A year in the life of our Team Encephalitis volunteers By Alex Amareia, Digital Outreach and Volunteer Manager, Encephalitis International As part of Volunteers’ Week 2026, we want to take a moment to celebrate the incredible people who give their time, energy, skills, and passion to support our community. Over the last year, our Team […]
Read More
What should HCPs know to support wellbeing after encephalitis?
15 May 2026
What should health care professionals know to support wellbeing after encephalitis? By Dr Andrea Kusec, Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Oxford Researchers at the University of Oxford, led by Dr Andrea Kusec, have developed a new training programme for healthcare professionals to better understand and support psychological effects of brain injury, including those […]
Read More
Psychology Today - Finding Connection and Confidence After Brain Injury (May 2026)
13 May 2026
Navigating life after a brain injury, such as encephalitis, carries unknowns and uncertainties for those affected as well as their family and friends. Visit Psychology Today to read the article by Encephalitis International’s Emma Collins on how peer support and community groups can rebuild confidence and well-being. “… I found it very hard. I was […]
Read More
Pinpointing NMDAR-antibody encephalitis
23 April 2026
Pinpointing NMDAR-antibody encephalitis A study has mapped, at near-atomic resolution, the antibody interaction in NMDAR-antibody encephalitis, opening the door for the first rationally designed treatments. Introduction NMDAR-antibody encephalitis is a form of autoimmune encephalitis where antibodies bind the NMDA (N-methyl-D-aspartate) receptors in the brain, which control thoughts, mood, and movements. The condition was first identified […]
Read More
Psychology Today- Why Every Vaccine Dose Matters (April 2026)
23 April 2026
Completing vaccination schedules is essential for full protection. Vaccines do not usually provide full protection after a single dose. For many diseases, immunity builds over time—through a series of doses and, in some cases, boosters. The first dose begins the process, but subsequent doses strengthen and extend that protection. We still hear from individuals and […]
Read More
The DexEnceph Study: A 20-Year Odyssey
17 April 2026
The DexEnceph Study: A 20-Year Odyssey By Professor Tom Solomon CBE FRCP FMedSci, DexEnceph Chief Investigator; Director, The Pandemic Institute, Liverpool; President, Encephalitis International. In 2006, Twitter had just launched, Pluto was downgraded from a planet to a dwarf planet, and Top of the Pops came to an end. At a small meeting in London of the […]
Read More
Eine Rezension von „Ratgeber Autoimmune Enzephalitis“
7 April 2026
März 2026 Ana Medina, Freiwillige bei Encephalitis International In den vergangenen Wochen war ich ganz in den „Ratgeber Autoimmune Enzephalitis“ vertieft – ein umfassender Leitfaden zur autoimmunen Enzephalitis, herausgegeben von Professor Markus Krämer und Professor Frank Leypoldt, beide angesehene Mediziner an verschiedenen deutschen Kliniken. Das Buch ist ein Gemeinschaftswerk und wurde 2025 veröffentlicht. Die Kapitel […]
Read More
From Honour to Celebration: My MBE Journey
25 March 2026
From Honour to Celebration: My MBE Journey By Dr Ava Easton MBE. There are moments in life that feel quietly surreal—ones you try to take in fully, knowing they will stay with you forever. Receiving an MBE In the King’s New Years Honours List was one of those moments! But it wasn’t just about the […]
Read More
Tick Bite Prevention Week: Addressing An Evolving Threat
20 March 2026
Tick Bite Prevention Week: Addressing An Evolving Threat Tick Bite Prevention Week is a good reminder that the story of ticks has become more complicated, and that is exactly why prevention matters. Introduction: A complex picture Ticks are no longer just associated with a single illness or a single type of risk. Today, the public […]
Read More
Psychology Today - The Inflamed Brain (March 2026)
4 March 2026
Misdiagnosed, Dismissed, and Running Out of Time The reality of autoimmune encephalitis Patients with autoimmune encephalitis often first present to psychiatry or other services because symptoms mimic common conditions. Awareness must be balanced with careful testing to avoid harmful over-diagnosis and mistreatment. Visit Misdiagnosed, Dismissed, and Running Out of Time to read the article by […]
Read More
Seeking reliable health information in an ‘infodemic’ – navigating misinformation in a digital world
27 February 2026
Key points Online resources have increased ways to access to health information, but all sources of information need to be considered carefully. Trusted sources exist and can be identified in various ways such as accreditation. AI (artificial intelligence) is a possible springboard to other information sources but must be approached with caution and should never […]
Read More
Caregivers’ perspectives on outcomes in anti-NMDAR encephalitis
27 February 2026
Key Points: A multicentre study assessed the experiences of caregivers of N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor (NMDAR) encephalitis patients, with an emphasis on long-term psychological distress, social challenges, and difficulties navigating healthcare systems. The researchers, including Encephalitis International’s CEO Dr Ava Easton MBE, qualitatively evaluated a broad range of challenges, including the difficulties obtaining the proper diagnosis, the […]
Read More
Psychology Today - The Inflamed Brain (February 2026)
19 February 2026
It’s Not Just the Flu, 6 Signs of Brain Inflammation Too many doctors miss the signs of brain inflammation What if the worst day of your life started with something utterly ordinary? A headache. A fever. A strange mood. Maybe someone you know seemed “not quite themselves.” A little forgetful. Irritable. Confused. You might tell […]
Read More
ENCEPHALITIS INTERNATIONAL LAUNCHES F.L.A.M.E.S
12 February 2026
A life‑saving awareness initiative — led by our community F.L.A.M.E.S reflects the urgent neurological signs that the general public and non-specialist acute medics should be aware of to help recognise encephalitis (inflammation of the brain) earlier. F.L.A.M.E.S stands for Flu-like Symptoms, Loss of Consciousness, Acute Headache, Memory Problems, Emotional/Behavioural Changes, Seizures. These are the symptoms most commonly […]
Read More
Encephalitis Conference 2025 Bursary Report
10 February 2026
Encephalitis 2025 Conference Last year we were delighted to welcome to Encephalitis Conference three bursary recipients. Read below their feedback and future plans. Isabela Bettu Bini, Brazil “Attending the Conference was an extremely valuable experience, both academically and professionally. As a Brazilian medical student with a strong interest in neurology and infectious diseases, the event […]
Read More