Anti-NMDA receptor encephalitis fatal case was mistaken as a debut of schizophrenia: the devil is in the psychopathological details

Abstract

The article presents the clinical case of the patient Victor, 42 years old, who was admitted to a psychiatric hospital in an acute psychotic state with schizophreniform symptoms. His illness progressed rapidly, and at different stages, epileptic paroxysms and disorders of consciousness joined the symptoms typical of schizophrenia. It was then that the question arose of the need to revise the diagnosis of schizophrenia, to carry out a targeted neurological examination and to correct of the treatment regimen. Victor’s case, which ended in death, raises questions for psychiatrists about finding significant differential diagnostic criteria for distinguishing schizophrenia from schizophrenia-like psychoses. To avoid mistakes, it is proposed to rely on the so-called. “diagnostic clues” and “red flags” in identifying the psychopathology of anti-NMDA receptor encephalitis.

Keywords

anti-NMDA receptor encephalitis / schizophrenia / schizophreniform symptoms / catatonia / psychiatric diagnosis

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