The North East Study of Memory in Limbic Encephalitis

• Research type

  Research Study

• Full title

  A detailed study of the Neuropsychological and Neurophysiological profile of patients with Limbic Encephalitis associated with Voltage-gated Potassium Channel Complex antibodies.

• IRAS ID

  186900

• Contact name

  Meher Lad

• Sponsor organisation

  Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

• Duration of Study in the UK

  0 years, 9 months, 0 days

• Research summary

  Limbic Encephalitis (LE) is an auto-immune neurological condition that affects a significant proportion of the adult population where the body's immune system 'attacks' itself. A subset of this condition caused by antibodies to a protein in the brain named Voltage-gated Potassium Channel Complexes (VGKC-LE) is characterised by memory impairment, seizures and psychiatric manifestations such as changes in personality and mood, which develop over weeks to months. In the acute phase of the illness, all of these symptoms are severe and the patients will be admitted to hospital for treatment. This includes tablets for immunosuppression such as steroids or invasive procedures including one known as plasma exchange, which aims to remove the harmful antibodies.

  Most patients recover to some degree after the 'acute' episode however there is evidence in research studies and that is seen in clinical follow-up that they may have lasting deficits in parts of their memory function. Patients may choose to return to work or engage in a wide range of daily activities after they recover but may still find difficulties. Currently, there are few studies of memory deficits of these patients during this 'stable' phase of the illness and none that have looked at this in great detail, examining all aspects of memory. Therefore, neurologists or psychiatrists are unable to provide useful practical advice to these patients.

  We hope to study the neuropsychological and neurophysiological profile of these patients in detail so that we can identify which particular domains of memory may be affected long-term in patients with VGKC-LE and if this may relate to alterations in neurophysiological tests. This will enable us as working neurologists to directly provide practical advice to these patients when they leave hospital and monitor them in the community.

• REC name

  South West - Frenchay Research Ethics Committee

• REC reference

  15/SW/0320

• Date of REC Opinion

  27 Oct 2015

• REC opinion

  Favourable Opinion