Hashimoto's encephalopathy
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Hashimoto's Encephalopathy is a very rare condition associated with Hashimoto's Thyroiditis. Hashimoto's Encephalopathy is a neuroendocrine disorder. Much like the antibodies in Hashimoto's Thyroiditis attack the thyroid, in Hashimoto's Encephalopathy, antibodies attack neurons in the brain. Some of the most common symptoms of Hashimoto's Encephalopathy include: disorientation, psychosis, tremors, concentration and memory problems, jerks in the muscles and lack of coordination, headaches, partial paralysis on the right side, and speech problems. Sometimes, patients are mistakenly diagnosed as having had a stroke, or having Alzeimer's disease. Because most patients respond to steroids or immunosuppressant treatment, this condition is now also referred to as "steroid-responsive" encephalopathy.