NMDAR encephalitis patients (n = 19) were in more severe condition at the onset of the disease with significantly higher mRS score at the time of diagnosis (median: 5, range: 2-5) compared to LGI1, GABABR and Caspr2 encephalitis (n = 11; mRS score at the diagnosis median: 3, range: 2–5) (p = 0.028). Here, CNTNAP2 is linked to viral encephalitis.