[Morphologic changes in the nervous system in systemic lupus eryethmatosus]

The central and peripheral nervous systems were examined morphologically in 31 cases of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). The lesions of the connective tissue and the vessel walls in the central nervous system are the manifestations of the generalized involvement of the entire connective tissue system in SLE. Morphologic signs relatively specific for SLE, such as fibrinoid necrosis of the connective tissue and vessels, nuclear pathology, as well as myelin changes of pulpous membrnes of nerve fibers and formation of micronecroses in the brain tissue, were observed most frequently in autoimmune crisis conditions. In these cases, a high clinical and immunological activity of the disease was observed.