Limbic encephalitis associated with systemic lupus erythematosus

Abstract

A 34-year-old woman with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) presented with general fatigue, seizures and memory loss. Magnetic resonance imaging of the brain showed a high signal area in the mesial temporal lobe bilaterally. Computed tomography scan of the chest and abdomen and ultrasound of pelvis detected no malignancy and tumour marker, antibodies to antineuronal antibodies (anti-Hu, anti-Ta and anti-Ma) and antibodies to voltage-gated potassium channels were all negative. The present case is limbic encephalitis (LE) associated with SLE and the pathogenesis may include autoimmunity shared. Our experience indicates that the immunologic spectrum of LE will expand to include additional immune mechanisms.

Autoimmune limbic encephalitis: A manifestation of systemic lupus erythematosus in the central nervous system

“…The classical manifestation of LE includes episodic memory impairment 9 , seizures 10 , confusion 16 , sleeping problems 18 , and psychiatric symptoms. 19 The most characteristic clinical feature is short-term memory loss, but associated symptoms such as confusion and seizures might limit the memory assessment.…”

“…It is believed that a convergence point between the three conditions involves an autoimmunity component shared by all of them. 16 …”

“…Moreover, they are paraneoplastic and largely resistant to immunotherapy, even after tumor removal. 16 , 29 , 30 …”

Tumefactive demyelination associated with systemic lupus erythematosus

“…In this case malignancy, tumour markers and the antineural antibodies were negative. The author concluded that shared autoimmunity may cause both limbic encephalitis and SLE 11. Tumefactive demyelination is one subtype of pathological spectrum of central nervous system inflammatory demyelinating diseases.…”

An Emerging Problem in Clinical Practice: How to Approach Acute Psychosis

“…More specifically, there is one report where authors reported coexistence of common variable immunodefi-ciency and limbic encephalitis in a 16-year old female patient. 15 Other authors reported limbic encephalitis related to lupus erythematosus, 16,17 while there is a report of Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada disease associated with non-herpetic acute limbic encephalitis, 18 suggesting a possible link between autoimmunity disorders and LE.…”