Edwin Bickerstaff and Philip Cloake reported in the 1950's three cases of 
reversible encephalitis. The concept of antibody associated encephalitis had not 
been proposed at the time they astutely recognized the importance of disease 
pattern recognition and postulated a potential immune based mechanism. The 
syndrome defined by Bickerstaff of progressive, external ophthalmoplegia and 
ataxia, with disturbance of consciousness or hyperreflexia, has subsequently 
been associated with anti-GQ1b antibodies. Interestingly one of the three 
original cases, a young woman who developed seizures, an eye movement disorder 
and acute psychosis while awaiting ovarian cystectomy, has features that may be 
more consistent with anti-NMDA receptor encephalitis.