Lupus and the central nervous system
Symptoms include: Confusion and trouble concentrating (sometimes called lupus brain fog) Seizures (sudden, unusual movements or behavior) Stroke (blocked blood flow in the brain that causes brain cells to die)
People with lupus can have cognitive symptoms, like having a hard time thinking clearly or remembering things. This is also called “brain fog” or “lupus fog,” and it often comes and goes over time. In some people, lupus fog can be present for many years.
NPSLE is often a serious manifestation of lupus. The symptoms of NPSLE can be highly variable, ranging from mild non-specific symptoms such as headaches, “brain fog” and mild mood disorders, to rare and severe presentations.
Neuropsychiatric symptoms are common in lupus patients, and their recognition is important. There are five psychiatric symptoms according to the ACR classification: cognitive dysfunction, mood disorder, anxiety disorders, psychosis, and acute confusional state.
Systemic lupus erythematosus patients with past neuropsychiatric involvement are associated with worse cognitive impairment: a longitudinal study.
Serious mental disorders may occur when lupus attacks the brain, spine, or nerves. The medical term psychosis includes mood swings, mania, serious depression, hallucinations, or delusions. About 12 percent of people with lupus will develop psychosis at some time in their illness.
In general, a brain MRI will show more lesions with MS ("black holes and bright spots") but sometimes the brain lesions found with lupus or MS can be indistinguishable.
Lupus fog is often episodic, meaning that there will be periods of worsening and then a return to normal function. This cognitive dysfunction is usually not severe, and it usually does not progress to the level of severe forms of dementia or Alzheimer's disease.
You may experience pain and stiffness, with or without swelling. This affects most people with lupus. Common areas for muscle pain and swelling include the neck, thighs, shoulders, and upper arms. Fever.
The term 'lupus fog' is used by many people with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). On patient fora and websites, confusion, difficulty planning, loss of concentration, difficulty in articulating thoughts, and memory impairment are symptoms described in the context of this fog.
With close follow-up and treatment, 80-90% of people with lupus can expect to live a normal life span.
The standard treatment for the non-thrombotic syndromes associated with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is immunosuppression, first with corticosteroids and with early recourse to cyclophosphamide.
Lupus is a chronic inflammatory autoimmune disease with a wide range of clinical presentations resulting from its effect on multiple organ systems. There are four main types of lupus: neonatal, discoid, drug-induced, and systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), the type that affects the majority of patients.
Kidneys About one half of people with lupus experience kidney involvement, and the kidney has become the most extensively studied organ affected by lupus.
Lupus can cause serious kidney damage, and kidney failure is one of the leading causes of death among people with lupus. Brain and central nervous system. If your brain is affected by lupus, you may experience headaches, dizziness, behavior changes, vision problems, and even strokes or seizures.
A neurologist may be part of your team in order to address the nervous system manifestations of lupus.
They're both autoimmune diseases.
In MS, your own immune system attacks your nervous system by mistake and damages your nerves. In lupus, your immune system attacks healthy tissues like your skin, joints, kidneys, heart, or lungs. But it can also damage your nerves and brain.
The exact cause of lupus fog is hard to pin down, experts say. In some cases, lupus can damage cells in the brain, leading directly to cognitive problems. However, in most cases other factors play a role, including fatigue, stress, and depression. Lupus fog is sometimes worse in people who also have fibromyalgia.
People with lupus may experience unpredictable changes in moods and personality traits. This can include feelings of anger and irritability. These may be related to the disease process or, in some cases, the use of corticosteroid medications.
Lupus can affect your whole body, including your nervous system. Research shows as many as 90% of people with lupus have symptoms that involve their brain, spinal cord, or nerves. It's called neuropsychiatric lupus.
Lupus can affect all levels of the nervous system, including the brain and spinal cord, as well as the peripheral nervous system.