Neurobehavioral presentations of the antiphospholipid antibody syndrome

Antiphospholipid antibodies, including lupus anticoagulant and anticardiolipin antibodies, are increasingly recognized as a cause of neurological morbidity. They may occur with or without evidence of systemic lupus erythematosus and have been associated with stroke, migraine, and confusional states. Their role as etiologic or contributing factors in neurobehavioral and neuropsychiatric syndromes of obscure etiology has not been emphasized. The cases of 7 patients who were referred for evaluation of behavior abnormalities and had antiphospholipid antibodies are presented, and the potential relationships of the antiphospholipid antibody syndrome to behavioral alterations are discussed.