[Neuropsychiatric disorders in systemic lupus erythematosus: a general review (author's transl)]

Nervous system involvement in systemic lupus erythematosus is frequent. Psychiatric manifestations, seizures, headaches are most often observed. Movement disorders, hemiparesis, aseptic meningitis occur more rarely. Myelitis is exceptional as is peripheral nerve involvement. CT Scan shows cerebral atrophy and sometimes hemorrhages or ischemic lesions. Pathological examination usually demonstrates cortical microinfarcts, hemorrhage and meningitis, but lesions are not always found. In these case the cause of the neuropsychiatric disorder is unknown: a transitory vascular or immune mechanism has been proposed. Corticotherapy is effective in the majority of cases, but can be occasionally responsible for an exacerbation of neuropsychiatric symptoms.