Lupus has been known to affect the brain by causing depression, memory loss seizures and other neurological problems. In addition to lupus, brain disease may be caused by antiphospholipid syndrome (APS) also called Hughes disease. Hughes disease, a clotting disorder, occurs in about 50 percent of patient with SLE. The physician will try to find the cause of the brain malfunction, lupus itself or APS, because treatment is different for each.

Often depression is one of the first signs of lupus brain disease and an important manifestation. Lupus headaches may also be associated with depression. Significantly more patients with lupus headache were classified as having depressive mood or with vague and nonspecific physical complaints. When lupus is managed, often the depression will be lifted. Antidepressant medication may also be prescribed for this lupus brain disease.

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Another common problem in lupus is headache. In a University of Tromso, Norway study, of the  two thirds of patients with lupus reported headaches. Migraine type headache were reported by 38 percent while tension headache were reported by 36 percent. People with lupus get headaches of the migraine type two times as much as the normal population. Researchers have been discussing the increase in the number of chronic sufferers of headaches who get lupus. However, much controversy surrounds this observation. Some patients report headache problems going as far back as their teenage years.

Lupus headache may be caused by lupus itself or Hughes disease. If headaches are reported, the physician should do testing to determine the cause by checking blood pressure, sinuses, testing the blood for APS and a NM scan or a CT scan. Lupus migraine headache are treated with 20-60 mg of prednisone each day for a week. The prednisone helps lupus headache but not normal migraine headaches. Patients who had Antiphospholipid antibodies in the blood were more likely to have lupus headache. It is not known if lupus headache is a sign that the disease is active.

Seizures may be a dramatic sign of lupus brain disease. Sometimes it is associated with a very high fever (febrile seizure). Often, seizures occur when the disease is in its active phase but is not being controlled or treated. Once the lupus is treated, the seizures subside.

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Lupus also affects the brain by causing movement disorders. APS may also cause these movement disorders. Jerky hand and head movements are the sign of this lupus brain disorder.

Psychiatric disturbances are also lupus brain disorders that normally occur during severe lupus flares. Lupus affects the brain by causing anything from mild personality changes to severe psychosis. When it is Hughes disease that is causing the lupus brain disorder, the patient may have mild to severe memory loss.

Lupus affects the brain in various ways. Brain damage and personality changes may or may not be permanent. Permanent damage is more likely when the damage is do to ABS. Treatment is available, however, so it is important that is you have lupus brain disease to find out what is the cause and follow the treatment recommended by your doctor. Much more research needs to be done on lupus and the brain to determine causes and better treatments.

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