Optic neuritis as the initial clinical presentation of limbic encephalitis: a case report.

J Med Case Rep

Department of Ophthalmology, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, University of Hong Kong, 301B Cyberport 4, 100 Cyberport Road, Pokfulam, Hong Kong SAR.

Published: December 2018

AI Article Synopsis

  • Limbic encephalitis causes memory issues, mood changes, and seizures, often linked to tumors, but not always.
  • A Chinese patient showed optic neuritis without immediate neurological symptoms, and was diagnosed with limbic encephalitis after 5 months of testing with negative results for other causes.
  • The case emphasizes that eye symptoms can help identify neurological disorders and suggests considering autoimmune encephalitis in cases of "idiopathic" optic neuritis, especially in the Chinese population.

Article Abstract

Background: Limbic encephalitis is characterized by rapid onset of working memory deficit, mood changes, and often seizures. The condition has a strong paraneoplastic association, but not all cases are invariably due to tumors.

Case Presentation: We present a case of limbic encephalitis in a Chinese patient who initially presented to our hospital with optic neuritis and no other neurological symptoms. The diagnosis was made radiologically, and cognitive and neurological symptoms did not occur until 5 months later. Extensive investigations for autoimmune, infective, and neoplastic causes were all negative. A working diagnosis of paraneoplastic neurological syndrome was made, and the patient is being managed with high-dose steroid therapy according to the Optic Neuritis Treatment Trial protocol during relapses, as well as with tumor surveillance.

Conclusions: This case highlights ocular symptoms as important clues for diagnosing neurological diseases, as well as autoimmune encephalitis as an important differential diagnosis in the management of "idiopathic" optic neuritis in the Chinese population.

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Source
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6276199PMC
http://dx.doi.org/10.1186/s13256-018-1893-7DOI Listing

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