Rasmussen's Encephalitis
Background
Rasmussen's Encephalitis: Rasmussen's syndrome
Rasmussen's Encephalitis (RE) is a progressive inflammation of the part of the brain called the cerebral cortex, which is made up of a right and a left hemisphere. The disease starts at one site in one hemisphere and spreads to adjoining areas on the same side. Curiously, it does not spread to the other hemisphere. The inflammation leads to loss of nerve cells and scar formation and usually results in severe disability. Although RE is most often diagnosed in children under the age of ten years, it can also start in adolescence and adulthood. It is a rare disorder and probably affects 1 in 500,000 to 1,000,000.