Anti-NMDA-receptor antibody in initial diagnosis of mood disorder

Abstract Anti-NMDAR encephalitis is increasingly recognized as one etiology of psychiatric symptoms, but there is not enough evidence on patients with mood disorder. We assayed anti-NR1/NR2B IgG antibodies in serum and/or cerebrospinal fluid of 62 patients initially diagnosed with mood disorder by a cell-based assay. We also investigated the specific patient characteristics and psychotic symptoms. At first admission, the patients showed only psychiatric symptoms without typical neurological signs or abnormal examination findings. Four of the 62 patients had anti-NR1/NR2B IgG antibodies. The anti-NR1/NR2B IgG antibody-positive patients showed more super- or abnormal sensitivity (P = 0.00088), catatonia (P = 0.049), and more conceptual disorganization (P