Psychiatric manifestations of voltage-gated potassium-channel complex autoimmunity.

Kristin J Somers, Vanda A Lennon, James R Rundell, Sean J Pittock, Daniel A Drubach, Max R Trenerry, Daniel H Lachance, Christopher J Klein, Paula A Aston, Andrew McKeon

Department of Psychiatry and Psychology, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine, Rochester, MN, USA.

The Journal of neuropsychiatry and clinical neurosciences 2011

filter terms:

The authors describe the neuropsychiatric spectrum of voltage-gated potassium-channel complex (VGKC) autoimmunity among 67 seropositive patients; 2 had initially been assigned a primary psychiatric diagnosis. Diverse manifestations were recorded, often affective-predominant. Symptoms for 24 patients with florid presentations included confusion, 92%; memory impairment, 75%; personality change, 58%; depression, 33%; and anxiety, 29%. Of 15 who received immunotherapy, 67% improved. Forty-three patients with milder presentations or low positive VGKC complex Ab values are also described. Neuropsychiatric presentations were significantly associated with higher autoantibody values. Improvements were most evident in patients treated early, which emphasizes the need for early diagnosis and immunotherapy initiation.

Citation

Kristin J Somers, Vanda A Lennon, James R Rundell, Sean J Pittock, Daniel A Drubach, Max R Trenerry, Daniel H Lachance, Christopher J Klein, Paula A Aston, Andrew McKeon. Psychiatric manifestations of voltage-gated potassium-channel complex autoimmunity. The Journal of neuropsychiatry and clinical neurosciences. 2011;23(4):425-33