Hashimoto’s Encephalopathy: A Rare Clinical Diagnosis in a Male Pediatric Patient
Year: 2025
Type: article
Abstract: Hashimoto's encephalopathy (HE) is very uncommon in the pediatric literature. It is most often characterized by altered mental status (AMS) that can range from mild confusion to hallucinations and severe agitation. The exact pathophysiologic mechanism of HE is unclear. The most popular proposed mechanism describes an immune-mediated process as opposed to a direct effect of thyroid hormone or thyroid antibodies on the central nervous system (CNS) despite the association in the name with Hashimoto's thyroiditis. Suspicion for HE is raised when a patient has encephalopathy, the presence of thyroid antibodies, and responsiveness to high-dose corticosteroids.
Source: Cureus
DOI: 10.7759/cureus.79888
Authors: Mackenzie Herzig, Eduardo Fastag-Guttman, Andrew Wu
Language: English
Subfield: Neurology
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: diamond
OpenAlex ID: W4408076312