This woman was misdiagnosed with bipolar disorder. It turns out she has a rare autoimmune disease instead – CBC

Though rare, a relatively new class of autoimmune diseases is making psychiatrists rethink some diagnoses

Jan 20, 2026

A relatively new class of autoimmune diseases that affect the brain is making psychiatrists rethink some diagnoses.

Though rare, patients with autoimmune encephalitis often present with psychiatric symptoms, and that can lead to misdiagnosis with a mental illness instead, says Dr. Chris Hahn, a neurologist at the Cumming School of Medicine at the University of Calgary.

That’s what happened to Nora Scott of High River, Alta., a town about 70 kilometres south of Calgary.

Before her medical odyssey began in the fall of 2017, Scott says, “Everything was going well.”

But then she started having a hard time falling asleep. “It’s kinda like my mind was always going,” she told John Chipman of CBC’s audio documentary unit.

This woman was misdiagnosed with bipolar disorder. It turns out she has a rare autoimmune disease instead – CBC

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