News
Can Early Tests Help Predict Recovery After Infectious Encephalitis?
2 February 2026
By Mark Warburton 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. […]
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Could corticosteroids improve outcomes in herpes simplex virus (HSV) encephalitis?
29 January 2026
A major UK clinical trial – DexEnceph study – provides the most definitive evidence so far on whether corticosteroids should be used alongside antiviral drug aciclovir for this severe, potentially life changing brain infection. The study was led by researchers at The Pandemic Institute, the University of Liverpool, and Walton Centre NHS Foundation Trust in […]
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Meet the newest member of our Scientific Advisory Panel
22 January 2026
Dr Aline MB Matos is a neurologist and neuroimmunologist based in São Paulo, Brazil. She completed her fellowship in Neuroimmunology at the University of São Paulo (USP) and is currently a PhD candidate at the Institute of Tropical Medicine, University of São Paulo (IMT-USP). She also conducts clinical research at the Centro de Pesquisas Clínicas […]
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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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Encephalitis International Vaccine Consensus Statement
19 January 2026
Vaccine and autism Encephalitis International rejects the recent revision to the Centers for Disease Control and prevention (CDC)’s webpage suggesting uncertainty about the long-established scientific conclusion that childhood vaccines do not cause autism. Decades of high-quality epidemiologic research — including large population cohort studies and independent meta-analyses involving more than a million children — have found no […]
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Psychology Today – The Inflamed Brain (January 2026)
9 January 2026
Is There a Problem with Women Working in Academic Medicine? Examining imposterism, womanload, safety, and the UK academic workforce crisis. Women’s progression to senior academic roles remains limited despite increased entry into clinical academia and imposter syndrome is common among women academics and represents an important, addressable mentoring need. Visit Is There a Problem with […]
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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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Simple Pleasures: Christmas with a Brain Injury
17 December 2025
by Catherine Jessop Christmas is a time when we revel in the simple pleasures of celebrating with the same songs, the same food, the same traditions. We look back on Christmases past, and think of those to come. For me and my family, Christmas has a particular poignancy, as it was on Boxing Day 2016 […]
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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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Reflecting on a Patient Involvement Activity
21 October 2025
Written by Dr Yun Huang and Dr Claire Hetherington, University of Liverpool Our project and why Patient & Public Involvement and Engagement (PPIE) is important We are Yun, an NIHR Academic Clinical Lecturer in Neurology, and Claire, a Postdoctoral Research Associate. We work in the Brain Infection and Inflammation Lab at the University of Liverpool. […]
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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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Finding the Silver Linings in Brain Recovery
16 September 2025
Finding the Silver Linings in Brain Recovery Co-authored by Emma Collins and Vicky Burgess (Encephalitis International), our latest blog on Psychology Today discusses tips to take with you on the road to brain recovery after neurological illness, such as encephalitis. Access the blog HERE to read about creative, physical and cognitive exercises and activities that […]
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The Value of a Legacy
8 September 2025
Whether referred to as ‘gifts in wills’ or ‘legacies’ in the English language, the donations made to charity upon someone’s death are a vital source of income for thousands of charities across the world. Indeed, we have our own ‘Your Legacy: Your Light’ appeal to ask our supporters if they’d consider leaving a gift in […]
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Psychology Today - The Inflamed Brain (August 2025)
18 August 2025
The Daily Challenges of Injury Survivors The invisible injury: “You look the same so nothing is wrong with you.” Often, people recovering from an acquired brain injury are told, “You look exactly like you did before the illness, so there must be nothing wrong with you.” Their challenges are dismissed or overlooked, sometimes even before […]
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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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Encephalitis International publishes a new paper on Patient and Public Involvement
21 June 2025
Encephalitis International is proud to share a new publication on their collaborative work with the University of Liverpool. A newly published paper by Encephalitis International, including CEO Dr Ava Easton, reflects on the ways in which Patient and Public Involvement (PPI) was integrated into the COVID-CNS study, led by the University of Liverpool and King’s […]
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Encephalitis International Opens New HQ
18 June 2025
With thanks to sponsors Killik & Co and Tate-Smith Ltd. Our HQ purchase was celebrated with a local VIP re-opening event, featuring the Lord Lieutenant of North Yorkshire, Jo Ropner, who officially opened the Global Headquarters on Thursday, 15th May. We were joined by local businesses, supporters, including our Ambassador Mathew Bose, and many of […]
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Regular Support: Rebuilding Futures Across the World
3 June 2025
Our online Peer Support Groups are inclusive opportunities to share experiences for those who have been affected directly or indirectly by encephalitis, wherever they are in the world. We provide a range of free hour-long sessions which take place monthly. Participants can choose which session suits them best and they can attend as many sessions as […]
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