Rinsho Shinkeigaku (Clinical Neurology)

Case Report

A case of Hashimoto's encephalopathy with acute onset of psychiatric symptoms and diffuse deep white matter lesions on brain MRI

Naomi Takahashi, M.D. 1), Yukihiro Shikama, M.D. 1), Hikaru Kawahara, M.D. 2), Yuma Okabe, M.D. 1), Masayuki Kurimura, M.D. 1) and Yasuyuki Ohta, M.D. 2)

1)Department of Neurology, Okitama Public General Hospital
2)Division of Neurology and Clinical Neuroscience, Department of Internal Medicine III, Yamagata University School of Medicine

A 51-year-old man developed acute disturbances in consciousness and psychiatric symptoms one month prior to admission. He was referred and admitted to the Department of Psychiatry of our hospital and transferred to the neurology department because diffuse white matter lesions were found on his brain during MRI. 123I-IMP-SPECT showed extensive cerebral hypoperfusion mainly in the frontal lobes. Anti-Tg, anti-TPO, and anti-NAE antibodies were positive. These findings led to a diagnosis of Hashimoto's encephalopathy. The patient responded to steroid pulse therapy, high-dose steroid therapy, and intravenous immunoglobulin therapy, showing improvement in symptoms and imaging findings. Hashimoto's encephalopathy often presents with MRI findings similar to those of limbic encephalitis, when the patient presents with acute consciousness disturbance and psychiatric symptoms. However, this case showed diffuse white matter lesions, which may be clinically important for the differential diagnosis.
Full Text of this Article in Japanese PDF (2055K)

(CLINICA NEUROL, 64: 171|175, 2024)
key words: Hashimoto's encephalopathy, acute encephalopathy type, diffuse deep white matter lesions, anti-NAE antibody, psychiatric symptoms

(Received: 13-Jul-23)