Autoimmune-associated epilepsies are conceptualized as having a distinct immune-mediated etiology with evidence of central nervous system inflammation, that has been demonstrated to be associated with a substantially increased risk of developing epilepsy. Important autoimmune-associated epilepsies are presented in this section of EpilepsyDiagnosis.org, their recognition and prompt treatment with immunotherapy can improve epilepsy and cognitive outcomes.
NOTE The term autoimmune-associated epilepsy is used when there is an enduring predisposition to seizures, whereas the term acute symptomatic (provoked) seizures is used when seizures respond to treatment or the autoimmune etiology causes epilepsy only for a self-limited period of time.