Can Neurofilament Light Chain Be Utilized as a Biomarker of Disease Severity, Activity, and Outcomes in Anti-NMDA Receptor Encephalitis?

Anti-NMDA receptor encephalitis (anti-NMDARe) is a disorder characterized by a combination of behavioral, cognitive, and psychiatric alterations along with seizures, abnormal movements, dysautonomia, or a decreased level of consciousness that sequentially develop over several weeks in association with NMDAR-IgG in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF).(1) This presentation is followed by weeks or months of persistent symptoms, often requiring intensive care (ICU), followed by a protracted recovery. Changes in CSF antibody titers may correlate with relapse, but serum titers are not reliable longitudinal biomarkers of disease activity.(2)