GAD65 Antibody-Associated Epilepsy and Autoimmune Encephalitis in Children and Young Adults: A Single-Center Case Series and Review of Literature.

Many cases of GAD65 autoimmune encephalitis are described in adults, but this is an understudied topic in children. Not many pediatric cases of GAD65 encephalitis are reported in literature and the diagnostic criteria are not well defined. This is a retrospective observational study of 3 pediatric patients with GAD65 antibodies seen at Arkansas Children's Hospital between 2016 and 2022. GAD65 antibody is a biomarker of autoimmune central nervous system disorder and more commonly non-neurologic disorders like type 1 diabetes mellitus, autoimmune thyroid diseases and pernicious anemia. This case series illustrates the spectrum of symptoms associated with GAD65 in a pediatric population.