Eye movement and random number in NP lupus evaluation.

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Immunology
• Neurology

Background:

• Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) can affect the central nervous system (CNS).
• Assessing CNS vulnerability in SLE patients is crucial for understanding disease heterogeneity.
• Previous methods for evaluating CNS involvement in SLE have limitations.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the central nervous system (CNS) vulnerability in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE).
• To compare the efficacy of exploratory eye movement (EEM) analysis and random number generation (RNG) in assessing CNS vulnerability in SLE.
• To investigate the relationship between neuropsychiatric history and CNS vulnerability markers in SLE patients.

Main Methods:

• Exploratory eye movement (EEM) analysis using an eye-mark recorder to calculate the responsive search score (RSS).
• Random number generation (RNG) test involving vocal generation of 100 random digits to calculate a "seriality score".
• Nineteen SLE patients were tested in a nonpsychotic state, more than one month after SLE onset.

Main Results:

• Responsive search score (RSS) in SLE patients was comparable to normal individuals, regardless of neuropsychiatric history.
• Patients with a history of neuropsychiatric lupus exhibited a higher "seriality score" compared to those without (p < 0.05).
• No significant correlation was found between RSS and "seriality score".

Conclusions:

• Exploratory eye movement (EEM) analysis may not fully capture the heterogeneity of CNS vulnerability in SLE.
• Random number generation (RNG) appears to be a more sensitive indicator of CNS vulnerability and neuropsychiatric involvement in SLE.
• EEM analysis and RNG may assess distinct aspects of brain function, suggesting a heterogeneous impact of SLE on the CNS.