A neuroimmune hypothesis for the aetiopathology of viral illness and manic depression: a case report of an adolescent.

ABSTRACT

This paper explores the unifying aetiopathology between disorders of the immune system and the CNS, using a case example. An adolescent had a 2-year history of chronic-active Epstein-Barr virus infection and recurrent acute pancreatitis that resolved following a course of immunotherapy. Subsequently, she redeveloped acute symptoms of infectious mononucleosis and pancreatitis, along with manic depression, and then made a complete recovery with combination of lithium carbonate and electroconvulsive therapy. On follow-up, lithium carbonate effectively controlled the previous neuroimmune dysfunction.