#Do you suffer from constant forgetfulness? A serious brain disorder may be the cause, not dementia
Have you ever tried to remember a simple word during a conversation, but fully lost your ability to remember it? Or while you were going about a daily task, you suddenly felt like your mind was “off”? Many believe that these are fleeting foggy moments caused by fatigue or lack of sleep, but doctors warn against underestimating them, because they may be an early sign of a serious brain disorder known as autoimmune encephalitis.
This rare disease has now become the focus of global attention among doctors, because it closely resembles the symptoms of dementia, anxiety, depression, and even psychosis, which often leads to misdiagnosis and delayed treatment.
What is autoimmune encephalitis?
Autoimmune encephalitis is a condition in which the immune system mistakenly attacks healthy brain cells, leading to inflammation and swelling that affects memory, thinking, and behavior.
The disease may appear suddenly or develop gradually.
This is not limited to the elderly only; It can affect young peopel and adults.
In some cases, it occurs after a viral infection, such as the herpes virus.
Although it is considered rare, statistics indicate that it affects 14 people out of every 100,000 annually, which is a higher rate then previously thought.
Specialists say that the immune system produces antibodies that target proteins found on the surface or inside nerve cells, which disrupts their normal function and turns them into a source of continuous inflammation within the brain.
Why does this disease occur?
So far, scientists don’t know a specific cause, but they have noted several possible factors:
Cancer-related immune dysfunction (paraneoplastic)
Previous viral infection
Immune system disorders
In most cases…there is no clear cause
What exacerbates the problem is the similarity of its symptoms to other psychological or neurological diseases, which makes detecting them a real challenge.
How does this affect your brain?
Inflammation often begins in the limbic system, which is the part responsible for:
Forming memories
Regulating emotions
details processing
Then it may gradually spread to other parts of the brain, leading to disorders in:
attention
movement
language