News
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 featuring quotes from encephalitis survivors and caregivers. “… I found it very hard. I was having speech therapy, it was […]
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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 […]
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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 […]
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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 […]
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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 […]
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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 […]
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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 […]
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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 […]
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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 […]
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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 […]
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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 […]
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Can Early Tests Help Predict Recovery After Infectious Encephalitis?
2 February 2026
Infectious encephalitis is a serious condition that can lead to long-term neurological problems or death. One of the biggest challenges for clinicians is knowing, early on, who is most at risk of a poor outcome. A new systematic review and meta-analysis by researchers from the United Kingdom, including CEO of Encephalitis International Dr. Ava Easton […]
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Encephalitis International Participates in Amazon Web Services’ Breaking Barriers Challenge
20 January 2026
Last week, Encephalitis International was thrilled to take part in the Amazon Web Services (AWS) Breaking Barriers Challenge 2026 in Manchester, an inspiring three-day event that brought together non-profits, technologists, students, and industry experts to tackle real-world problems using cloud-based technology and AI. For Encephalitis International, the opportunity to collaborate in such an innovative environment […]
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New research on distinguishing NMDAR-antibody encephalitis
19 January 2026
Researchers including members of Encephalitis International’s Scientific Advisory Panel have shed new light in diagnosing NMDAR-antibody encephalitis. Their findings, published in The Lancet Psychiatry, reveal that NMDAR-antibody encephalitis has a distinctive, rapidly evolving psychiatric signature. What is NMDAR-antibody encephalitis? NMDAR-antibody encephalitis is an autoimmune condition in which antibodies attack NMDA (N-methyl-D-aspartate) receptors in the brain. […]
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Varicella zoster (Chickenpox) vaccines for children start across UK
6 January 2026
Introduction The UK government has announced that children across England will now, for the first time, be offered a free vaccine against varicella zoster (chickenpox) virus (VZV) on the NHS. Encephalitis International is highlighting the importance of protecting against not only chickenpox itself, but also the potentially devastating complication – encephalitis or swelling of the […]
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Encephalitis International Wishes Ambassador George Clarke Good Luck for BBC’s Strictly Come Dancing Grand Final!
20 November 2025
George is in the Grand Final of Strictly Come Dancing this Saturday (20/12/2025). It is the biggest night in the ballroom! Our votes matter more than ever this week, so please vote for George and Alexis and let’s all hope that he raises the glitterball!! Shimmy over to the BBC website to cast your votes […]
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Major breakthrough in our understanding of tick-borne virus encephalitis
6 November 2025
In a landmark study, scientists have unearthed a mechanism by which a dangerous virus enters brain cells to cause encephalitis. Introduction Tick-borne encephalitis virus (TBEV) has been spreading in Europe and Asia in recent years, causing life-threatening encephalitis. A new study by an international team of researchers has identified a key protein that the virus […]
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Encephalitis International Publishes in Nature
17 October 2025
Encephalitis International is proud to announce the publication of a review paper in Nature Primer, co-authored by CEO of Encephalitis International, Dr. Ava Easton and members of Encephalitis International’s Scientific Advisory Panel. Introduction The landmark publication by de Bruijn et al., simply titled ‘Autoimmune encephalitis’, is a 19-page comprehensive review aimed at healthcare professionals and […]
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Psychology Today - The Inflamed Brain (October 2025)
6 October 2025
Finding a Path Through Parenthood After Brain Injury Parenthood after brain injury: The mother I wanted to be, the mother I became. When you’ve had a brain injury, becoming a parent can be very different to how you imagined. The impact it can have is as wide as the types of brain injury and personalities […]
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Can AI help diagnose autoimmune encephalitis?
12 August 2025
Researchers in Germany and Switzerland have developed a ground-breaking artificial intelligence (AI) system that can predict whether patients with suspected autoimmune encephalitis will test positive for disease-specific antibodies. The AI system, details of which were published in Scientific Reports in March this year, could dramatically speed up diagnosis of this serious brain condition. Diagnosing autoimmune […]
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Encephalitis International publishes article on vaccine hesitancy
31 July 2025
Encephalitis International is proud to announce the publication of an article on vaccine hesitancy in the prestigious journal Practice Nurse. Introduction The work, co-authored by Encephalitis International’s CEO Dr Ava Easton and its Senior Medical Writer Prav Prathapan, traces the history of vaccine hesitancy from its origins in 19th century anti-vaccination movements to today’s digitalised […]
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Psychology Today - The Inflamed Brain (July 2025)
16 July 2025
Can a Virus Increase Your Risk of Dementia? The Herpes Hypothesis: How common viruses might influence long-term brain health Co-authored by Lærke Storgaard Duerlund, M.D., and Arun Venkatesan, Professor Interest in the herpes-dementia connection began in the 1990s. Despite decades of research, the role of herpesviruses in dementia remains uncertain. Visit The Can a Virus […]
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My Neurology Academic Clinical Fellowship (ACF): First year - by Dr Abdusshakur Muhammad Auwal
4 July 2025
By Dr Abdusshakur Muhammad Auwal, NIHR Academic Clinical Fellow, University of Liverpool and Walton NHS Foundation Trust Introduction The first year of my Neurology Academic Clinical Fellowship (ACF) has been intense but very rewarding. It was intense due to the need to combine clinical work and research at the same time while maintaining competency in […]
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Psychology Today - The Inflamed Brain (May 2025)
23 May 2025
The 100-year-old Brain Disease That Could Come Back How to face a pandemic that affects the mind. by Jonathan Rogers, Ph.D A hundred years ago, a pandemic swept around the world and we had no idea what caused it. Worse still, even today, we’re still not sure. Patients often developed Parkinson’s-like symptoms, personality changes, or […]
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