Psychiatric Manifestations of Paraneoplastic Disorders

Paraneoplastic disorders can lead to severe psychiatric and behavioural symptoms. Rapid identification is required to ensure correct treatment and management.

Paraneoplastic limbic encephalitis (PLE) is a rare neurological syndrome associated with cancer, and selectively affects limbic system structures, including the hippocampus, hypothalamus, and amygdala.^[1] It is usually associated with small cell lung cancer. The encephalitis is caused by an altered immunologic response to a malignancy that has antigens that resemble limbic antigens. The inflammatory response, however, occurs away from the original neoplasm site. ^[2]

• Kayser, M. S., Kohler, C. G., & Dalmau, J. (2010). Psychiatric manifestations of paraneoplastic disorders. American Journal of Psychiatry, 167(9), 1039-1050.
• Reville, P. K., & Steingraeber, C. (2016). ANNA-1 Paraneoplastic Encephalomyelitis Presenting as Rapidly Progressing Dementia in a Man With Undiagnosed Small Cell Lung Cancer. American Journal of Psychiatry Residents' Journal, 11(11), 13-15.