[Central nervous symptoms and findings in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus]

Systemic lupus erythematosus is a disease characterized by multiple autoimmune phenomena, and a broad clinical spectrum. Involvement of the central nervous system is common, and in the majority of patients occurs mainly as an organic brain syndrome or as migraineous headache. Cerebral atrophy as judged by CT scan is common. Cerebral infarction occurs in a minority of patients, mainly those with high disease activity and a high titer of anti-phospholipid antibodies. Systemic lupus erythematosus should be considered as a possible diagnosis in patients with certain central nervous system aberrations, especially young females.