News
RESEARCH NEWS: Danish study finds cognitive problems may persist years after autoimmune encephalitis
17 September 2026
Danish study finds cognitive problems may persist years after autoimmune encephalitis A new nationwide Danish study suggests the standard outcome measure (the usual measures for health) after AE is missing long-term cognitive damage. Background On paper, most people who survive autoimmune encephalitis (AE) are recorded as having made a good recovery. But a new Danish […]
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RESEARCH NEWS: Discharge is not the finish line: Outcomes of childhood encephalitis in Australia
3 September 2026
Discharge is not the finish line: Outcomes of childhood encephalitis in Australia An important Australian study has found that the two main types of encephalitis (infectious and immune-mediated) affect children in different ways. It also shows that there can be after-effects of encephalitis that can surface after discharge from hospital. Background The research published last […]
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RESEARCH NEWS: Use of Intravenous Immunoglobulins in Pediatric Viral Meningoencephalitis
21 August 2026
Use of Intravenous Immunoglobulins in Pediatric Viral Meningoencephalitis A summary of the research paper by Aliya Yu, PharmD Candidate, Team Encephalitis Volunteer Viral meningoencephalitis is a serious infection of the central nervous system (CNS) that causes inflammation of both the brain (encephalitis) and the thin protective layers of tissue surrounding the brain and spinal cord […]
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RESEARCH NEWS: New patient-designed scale captures long-term effects of autoimmune encephalitis
24 July 2026
New patient-designed scale captures long-term effects of autoimmune encephalitis A team of researchers including Encephalitis International’s CEO Dr Ava Easton MBE have produced the first questionnaire designed specifically to measure how autoimmune encephalitis affects patients’ lives in their own words. Background Autoimmune encephalitis (AE) is a severe neurological condition in which the body’s own antibodies […]
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RESEARCH NEWS: New study finds two-thirds of severely affected anti-NMDAR encephalitis patients recover
24 July 2026
New study finds two-thirds of severely affected anti-NMDAR encephalitis patients recover A major international study, published in the prestigious journal The Lancet Neurology, has found that most patients left in a prolonged vegetative state by anti-NMDAR encephalitis can go on to make a meaningful recovery. Background Anti-NMDAR encephalitis occurs when the body’s own antibodies attack […]
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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 […]
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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 […]
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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 […]
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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 […]
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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 […]
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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 […]
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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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