[PS18-3B-3] Neurological Complications of Viral Infection in Children: A Pathophysiological Perspective
The objective of this presentation is to provide a better understanding of a variety of neurological complications that are associated with viral infections. These conditions have diverse etiologies and their clinical presentations depend not only on causative viruses but on the response that host elicits against viruses. In this talk, clinical syndromes will be reviewed and comparatively discussed from etiological and therapeutic viewpoints. Primary encephalitis is caused by neurotropic viruses. Postinfectious autoimmune neurological diseases are often triggered by viral infection in children. In addition, viral infection causes non-specific immune activation in the central nervous system that has detrimental effects on the host. Innate immunity is postulated to play a central role in these parainfectious conditions. Influenza and other viruses occasionally cause robust, dysregulated production of pro-inflammatory cytokines and malfunction of endothelial cells to cause fatal brain edema. Febrile infection related epilepsy syndrome is characterized by intrathecal overproduction of pro-inflammatory cytokines in the absence of cellular infiltration to the brain. In some neuroinflammatory conditions associated with status epilepticus, increased production of interleukin-1 beta may be involved in disease progression. Type I interferon is another key player in the viral infection and is possibly involved in some neuropsychiatric syndromes. Recognizing pathogenic diversity in these syndromes provides helpful information for making treatment decision. Despite the complexity of their pathogenesis, there have been limited options for treatments of neurological complications of viral infections. In this respect, future research should concentrate on exploring novel treatment approaches targeting disease-specific mechanisms.