“I had a really rare disease. While everyone else was misdiagnosing me, Penn Neurosciences created the cure that saved my life.”
Anti-NMDA Receptor Encephalitis
Amanda had a rare, autoimmune disorder called anti-NMDA receptor encephalitis - but she didn't know it.
Anti-NMDA receptor encephalitis occurs when antibodies in the body attack NMDA receptors, which are located in the brain. These NMDA receptors are responsible for judgment, perception of reality, human interaction, the formation and retrieval of memory, and the control of activities like breathing and swallowing.
Symptoms of anti-NMDA receptor encephalitis can often be misdiagnosed as other psychotic conditions, and in Amanda's case she was misdiagnosed several times.
Amanda suffered from terrible headaches, paranoia and delusions. She went to multiple doctors to seek help. Others thought she was crazy. It wasn't until she came to Penn that she was cured. Penn researchers pinpointed her rare disease and created a treatment that cured it.