Bickerstaff’s Brainstem Encephalitis Accompanied by Encephalopathy Associated with Autoimmune Thyroid Disease (EAATD): Case Report and Review

Abstract

Bickerstaff’s brainstem encephalitis (BBE) is characterized by a consciousness disorder, ophthalmoplegia and ataxia. Some patients with BBE show hyperreflexia, pyramidal signs and sensory disturbance. The pathophysiology of BBE is not proven; it is presumed that an autoimmune response has a key role. Encephalopathy-associated with autoimmune thyroid disease (EAATD) is another encephalopathy presumed to be related to autoimmune responses. Patients with EAATD show cognitive dysfunction, seizures, and other neurologic deficits, with elevated antithyroid antibody and good responsiveness to steroid therapy. Here we described a case of a 26-year-old woman who presented with the characterstics of BBE and EAATD.