Volume 3 Issue 3
Published on September 2025Autoimmune encephalitis (AE) is a group of inflammatory disorders of the central nervous system caused by abnormal activation of the immune system, often presenting with psychiatric symptoms, seizures, cognitive impairment, and consciousness disturbances. Traditional treatments primarily include glucocorticoids, intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG), plasma exchange (PLEX), and second-line immunosuppressants. While most patients show improvement, some cases progress to "refractory AE." In recent years, advances in immunology and molecular therapy research have led to the emergence of various novel therapeutic strategies, such as B-cell and precursor-targeted therapies, plasma cell and bone marrow suppression, FcRn inhibitors, cytokine pathway interventions, localized central immune modulation, and stem cell or cellular therapies. These innovative approaches provide new perspectives and options for treating refractory AE. However, current evidence is largely derived from case reports or small-scale studies, and there remains a lack of large-scale randomized controlled trials to validate their efficacy and safety. In the future, precision medicine and biomarker-guided individualized treatments, along with optimized combination and sequential strategies, hold promise for improving long-term patient outcomes.