A
Short answer: blood testing alone usually isn’t enough to confidently rule in or rule out anti-NMDA receptor encephalitis.
🧪 Why blood isn’t the full story
Doctors can check NMDA receptor IgG antibodies in blood (serum), but:
❌ Blood can miss real cases
Some people with confirmed disease have negative blood but positive CSF (spinal fluid).
❌ Blood can give false positives
Low-level antibodies sometimes show up in blood without actual brain inflammation.
✅ CSF (lumbar puncture) is more reliable
Spinal fluid is in direct contact with the brain, so it better reflects what’s happening neurologically.
📊 How doctors view it
| Result | What it means |
|---|---|
| Blood negative | Does NOT fully rule it out |
| Blood positive | Suggests it, but needs confirmation |
| CSF positive | Strong evidence (especially with symptoms) |
Neurologists consider CSF the gold standard.
🧠 Why this matters
Anti-NMDA receptor encephalitis is diagnosed using a combo of:
Symptoms (psychiatric changes, seizures, confusion, movement problems)
MRI brain
EEG
CSF testing
Antibody tests
A blood result by itself doesn’t seal the deal either way.
🩺 So when is blood “good enough”?
Only in very low-suspicion situations where symptoms don’t fit the disease.
If doctors strongly suspect autoimmune encephalitis, they usually go ahead with a lumbar puncture even if blood is negative.
🚩 Big takeaway
If this test is being discussed because of sudden mental changes, seizures, or rapid neurological decline, you want a neurologist involved — not just a blood test.
If you want, tell me:
What symptoms are happening
Whether the blood result was positive, negative, or pending
That changes how serious the situation is.
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