Anti-N-methyl-D-aspartate （NMDA） receptor encephalitis is one of the most common paraneoplastic encephalitis. Its main clinical manifestations are mental and behavioral abnormalities， disturbance of consciousness， seizures and central hypoventilation. Anti-NMDA receptor encephalitis is more common in female， with a male-to-female ratio of about 1︰4， and about 20%-59% of the patients have related tumors. There are many related tumors that induce anti-NMDA receptor encephalitis and one of the most common is ovarian teratoma. In this paper， the epidemiology， types， pathogenesis and identification of tumors associated with anti-NMDA receptor encephalitis are reviewed.