[Immune-mediated epilepsy and encephalopathy].

During the last decade new knowledge on immune-mediated disorders of the grey substance of the central nervous system (CNS) has been generated. These conditions are associated with seizures in approximately 80% of cases and often present as drug-resistant epilepsies. The discovery of autoantibodies against neural surface antigens was essential for the identification of these disorders. Immune-mediated epilepsies often respond poorly to antiepileptic drugs; however, they do respond in many cases to immunological therapy which offers a chance of overcoming resistance to antiepileptic drugs by immunological treatment.