Neuronal antibodies and cognitive function in systemic lupus erythematosus.

The pathogenesis of neuropsychiatric lupus (NP-SLE) is unclear, but may involve vasculopathy, antibodies against nervous system tissue, or both. A major difficulty in determining the significance of antineuronal antibodies in NP-SLE has been lack of consistent clinical diagnostic approaches. By utilizing a new clinical classification of NP-SLE, neuropsychological assessments, and an assay for IgG antineuronal antibodies, we have found a significant association between antibody-positivity and cognitive impairment or nonfocal NP-SLE. These observations indicate that antineuronal antibodies may play a role in NP-SLE and emphasize the clinical importance of cognitive function in patients with SLE.