About The Course
Autoimmune encephalitis psychosis represents an important and often overlooked cause of acute and subacute psychiatric presentations. This course supports clinicians in recognising red and yellow flags, deciding when MRI, EEG and CSF testing are indicated, and distinguishing primary psychotic disorders from anti-NMDA receptor encephalitis while applying structured diagnostic reasoning to guide investigation and management.
Who Is This Course For?
This course is suitable for:
- Psychiatrists
- General Practitioners (GPs)
- Mental Health Nurse Practitioners (MHNPs)
- Psychologists
- Mental health professionals
- Clinicians working in or expanding into psychiatry and mental health care
Accreditation Information:
- Psychiatry Accreditation: This course is available for self-accreditation with the RANZCP and other relevant psychiatric and mental health organisations.
- GP Accreditation: The course is RACGP-accredited for general practitioners.
- On completion of this course, participants will receive a course completion certificate and 2 CPD hours.
What You'll Learn
On completion of this course, you will be able to:
- Describe the major autoimmune encephalitis (AE) syndromes that can present with psychosis, with a focus on anti-NMDAR encephalitis and related neuronal surface antibody–mediated disorders.
- Define “autoimmune psychosis” and recognise psychotic symptoms as manifestations of autoimmune encephalitis rather than separate primary psychotic disorders.
- Identify red and yellow flags that should prompt investigation for AE/AP in patients with acute or subacute psychiatric presentations, and summarise guideline recommendations for MRI, EEG, CSF and antibody testing.
- Apply the Neuropsychiatric Checklist for Autoimmune Psychosis (NEPCAP) to structure the diagnostic work-up, interpret multimodal findings, and judge when immunotherapy may be justified in possible, probable and definite Autoimmune Psychosis.
- Outline management principles, including when to use immunotherapy versus standard psychiatric care, and how antipsychotics and benzodiazepines are differentially tolerated in anti-NMDAR encephalitis and other AE syndromes.
- Integrate these principles into practice through case-based discussion of diagnostic and management dilemmas in patients with first-episode or atypical psychosis
Course Programme
7 Units | 35 Modules | 2 hours total length
- What is Autoimmune Encephalitis?
- Diagnostic Criteria for Possible Autoimmune Encephalitis
- Autoimmune Psychosis
- The History of Autoimmune Psychosis
- When to think “autoimmune psychosis”
- Anti-NMDAR Encephalitis: A Model for Autoimmune Psychosis
- Pathogenesis of Anti-NMDAR Encephalitis
- Mechanism of Psychosis in Anti-NMDAR Encephalitis
- Phases of Clinical Presentation
- Summary of the different phases of Anti-NMDAR Illness
- Key clinical features of anti-NMDAR encephalitis
- Diagnostic clues for anti-NMDAR encephalitis in acute psychiatric presentations
- Other Autoimmune Encephalitides with Psychiatric Presentations - Beyond NMDAR
- Main Neuronal Antibodies Related to Autoimmune Encephalitis
- Summary: Antibodies, Typical Neurological Features, Psychiatric Manifestations
- Effective Neuronal Antibody Screening
- Limitations of the Autoimmune Psychosis Construct
- How Should Autoimmune Psychosis be Defined?
- Summary: The Hierarchical Framework
- Structured Diagnostic Pathway for Suspected Autoimmune Neuropsychiatric Syndromes
- Differentiating Autoimmune Psychosis from Primary Psychiatric Disorders
- The Neuropsychiatric Checklist for Autoimmune Psychosis (NEPCAP): Weighing Diagnostic Evidence
- Spotting Red and Yellow Flags for Autoimmune Psychosis
- When to Use Immunotherapy Versus Standard Psychiatric Care
- Transition from Possible to Probable Autoimmune Encephalitis
- Acute Psychiatric Management in Suspected Autoimmune Neuropsychiatric Syndromes
- First-Line Treatment Algorithms in Autoimmune Encephalitis After Infection Exclusion
- Immunotherapy Thresholds in Autoimmune Psychosis
- Management of Anti-NMDAR Encephalitis
- Prognosis and Clinical Outcomes in Autoimmune Psychosis
- Diagnostic Dilemmas in First-Episode Psychosis
- Stepwise case analysis applying NEPCAP, MRI, EEG and CSF interpretation
- Determining diagnostic certainty and treatment thresholds
- Psychotropic tolerability and management planning
- Course consolidation and Knowledge Check
Course Description
Autoimmune Psychosis & Autoimmune Encephalitis: Where Neurology Meets Psychiatry
Clinicians frequently encounter acute psychosis that does not follow a typical trajectory. Symptoms may evolve rapidly. Cognition may fluctuate. Catatonia, seizures, or autonomic instability may emerge alongside behavioural change. In such cases, the question is no longer simply psychiatric — it becomes neuropsychiatric.
Autoimmune encephalitis psychosis has become an increasingly important differential in these presentations. Recognition, however, requires more than antibody testing. It calls for structured clinical reasoning, careful interpretation of investigations, and clarity about when immune-directed treatment is justified. This course provides a practical and interactive framework for navigating that complexity, integrating case-based learning, diagnostic exercises, and structured clinical activities throughout.
This course is delivered as a structured, evidence-informed review designed to support diagnostic precision in complex neuropsychiatric presentations. The content is presented in a reading-first format to allow careful engagement with clinical reasoning frameworks, supported by optional audio narration for flexible access. Interactive case analyses, decision exercises, and knowledge checks consolidate learning at key stages.
Foundations and the Anti-NMDAR Prototype
The programme begins by defining autoimmune encephalitis and reviewing diagnostic criteria for possible disease. It examines the evolution of autoimmune psychosis as a construct and clarifies its limitations in contemporary practice. Anti-NMDA receptor encephalitis is presented as the prototypical syndrome in which psychiatric symptoms often predominate early. Participants analyse its pathogenesis, NMDA receptor hypofunction, clinical phases, and diagnostic clues relevant to psychiatric settings.
Beyond NMDAR and Conceptual Refinement
Autoimmune encephalitis psychosis extends beyond a single antibody syndrome. Other neuronal surface antibodies and their psychiatric manifestations are reviewed within a clinical context. However, indiscriminate antibody screening can produce misleading results when pre-test probability is low. Therefore, the course introduces a hierarchical diagnostic framework that prioritises entity-specific diagnoses over broad syndromic labels. This approach encourages clinicians to anchor decisions in syndrome-level evidence rather than isolated laboratory findings, strengthening diagnostic precision.
Structured Diagnostic Pathway and Management
A phenotype-led diagnostic pathway guides systematic assessment, integrating red and yellow flags with MRI, EEG, and CSF findings. The NEPCAP autoimmune psychosis checklist is applied to weigh evidence and refine diagnostic probability in real-world scenarios. Clinicians also learn to differentiate autoimmune encephalitis psychosis from primary psychiatric disorders with greater confidence.
Management decisions are explicitly linked to diagnostic certainty. Anti-NMDA receptor encephalitis management principles are reviewed alongside immunotherapy thresholds and the need for infection exclusion before treatment. Psychotropic tolerability, relapse risk, and expected outcomes are discussed in practical terms.
Case-Based Clinical Integration
Interactive case studies consolidate learning across first-episode psychosis presentations. Participants apply the NEPCAP autoimmune psychosis checklist stepwise, interpret MRI, EEG, and CSF findings, and determine possible, probable, or definite autoimmune encephalitis psychosis. Diagnostic certainty is weighed against treatment thresholds, and management plans are developed through structured reasoning. A final knowledge check reinforces key decision points and supports consolidation.
On completion of this course, participants will be able to:
- Describe the major autoimmune encephalitis (AE) syndromes that can present with psychosis, with a focus on anti-NMDAR encephalitis and related neuronal surface antibody–mediated disorders.
- Define “autoimmune psychosis” and recognise psychotic symptoms as manifestations of autoimmune encephalitis rather than separate primary psychotic disorders.
- Identify red and yellow flags that should prompt investigation for AE/AP in patients with acute or subacute psychiatric presentations, and summarise guideline recommendations for MRI, EEG, CSF and antibody testing.
- Apply the Neuropsychiatric Checklist for Autoimmune Psychosis (NEPCAP) to structure the diagnostic work-up, interpret multimodal findings, and judge when immunotherapy may be justified in possible, probable and definite Autoimmune Psychosis.
- Outline management principles, including when to use immunotherapy versus standard psychiatric care, and how antipsychotics and benzodiazepines are differentially tolerated in anti-NMDAR encephalitis and other AE syndromes.
- Integrate these principles into practice through case-based discussion of diagnostic and management dilemmas in patients with first-episode or atypical psychosis
This course supports clinicians working at the interface of psychiatry and neurology, helping refine diagnostic judgement in complex presentations.
Participants receive a completion certificate and 2 CPD hours upon completion. (EA 2)
While our Academy members enjoy exclusive access to a range of courses and webinars (including this course) with their annual membership, we’re pleased to offer you the opportunity to purchase it individually!
Please click on the respective links to take advantage of this offer, or scroll down to the pricing section.
Autoimmune Psychosis & Autoimmune Encephalitis: For Psychiatrists
Autoimmune Psychosis & Autoimmune Encephalitis: For General Practitioners
Related Courses:
- Brain Imaging at the Frontiers of Psychiatry: A Visual Journey Through a Series of Clinical Case Studies – Develop practical skills in interpreting neuroimaging within psychiatric practice. This course complements Autoimmune Psychosis & Autoimmune Encephalitis by strengthening structured diagnostic reasoning and the clinical application of MRI findings in complex neuropsychiatric presentations.
Course release date: 8 April 2026 | Course expiration date: 7 April 2029 (The expiration date indicates when the course content is scheduled for review to ensure that it remains current and accurate.)
Autoimmune encephalitis can present as acute psychosis. This course equips clinicians to differentiate primary psychiatric disorders from anti-NMDA receptor encephalitis and apply structured diagnostic reasoning in complex neuropsychiatric care.
Course Information
- 2 hours
- 2 CPD
Inclusions
- 2 Hours of Interactive Course Material
- Infographics and structured visual summaries
- Case-based clinical application
- Drag-and-drop and structured diagnostic exercises (self-assessment)
- Post activity knowledge Check
- Post activity evaluation
- Certificate of Completion
Material Downloads
- certificate
Instructors
Dr. Sanil Rege Course Editor and Reviewer MBBS, MRCPsych, FRANZCP
With extensive teaching experience through psychiatry education initiatives, Sanil is recognised as a motivational training facilitator and educator who promotes insightful collaboration and discussion
As the Academic Lead of Psych Scene and Chief Editor of Psych Scene Hub, he aspires to make a difference in mental health by empowering Healthcare Professionals to advance their skills and career through the provision of specialised education and training
Sanil is also founder of Vita Healthcare, a private clinic in Mount Eliza specialising in adult mental healthcare, with over 20 years of clinical experience and 13 years of private practice experience treating disorders across the spectrum. He currently works in the community, across in-patient, consultation-liaison and addiction psychiatry spaces.
Emma Vinton Course Developer - RMN, MPH FWCoN Nurse Consultant and Medical Writer
Emma is an experienced mental health nurse and medical writer with extensive clinical and academic expertise. She began her career in eating and affective disorders at Newcastle’s Royal Victoria Infirmary in the UK, before progressing into community mental health services and later, primary mental health care.
In addition to her clinical background, Emma completed a Master’s degree in Public Health in 2016 and a Postgraduate Diploma in Strategic Leadership in 2024. This combination of frontline experience and strategic insight underpins her work as a principal medical writer and educator.
Emma is deeply committed to the clinical user experience. Her work is designed to support meaningful engagement, so that learners move beyond theory to deliver care that is evidence-based and genuinely person-centred.
