[Neurological manifestation of Takayasu's arteritis]

38 cases of Takayasu's arteritis were reported. The mean age of onset was 23.3 years with a female: male ratio of 1:1.7. The median delay between first symptom and time of diagnosis was 12.2 years. Headache was the most common symptom of neurologic manifestations (55%). Major neurologic events occurred in 52.7% patients in this group, including TIA, cerebral infarction, hypertensive encephalopathy, lacunar infarct, seizure, paraplegia, watershed infarct, cerebral hemorrhage, Moyamoya phenomenon, and confusion in the order of frequency. A variety of mechanisms that must be taken into account in explaining this neurologic events were proposed. The secondary hypertension and cardiac complications play an important role in causing neurologic symptoms. The formation of anastomotic networks has "Jekyll and Hyde" effect on brain both in preventing or limiting the ischemic injury and in producing some special symptoms and signs, that further widen the clinical spectrum of brain involvement.