Autoimmune Disorders

Overview of Autoimmune Disorders

Autoimmune disorders rely on clinical diagnosis including localization. However, there is no specific examination finding that indicates autoimmune pathogenesis. The diagnosis of most autoimmune disorders is syndromic and is supported by careful examination, laboratory studies, and usually imaging. In general, most autoimmune disorders have localization that is in either not confined to a singular neurologic localization or is not confined to neurologic localization at all but rather spans organ systems.

The list of autoimmune disorders is large, so this chapter will focus on a few select disorders for which history and examination can suggest the diagnosis:

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  Optic neuritis

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  Multiple sclerosis

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  Neuromyelitis optica

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  Autoimmune encephalitis