Up to three-quarters of those plagued by systemic lupus erythematosus endure neuropsychiatric symptoms. Lupus is an autoimmune disease that is incurable at the moment. Medical professionals do not have a full understanding of lupus' impact on the brain. Lupus patients typically have an array of neuropsychiatric symptoms such as psychosis, seizures, nervousness, and depression. However, the extent and nature of such symptoms have not been clear until recently.
Recent Research
Research fellow Allison Bialas, PhD, worked with Michael Carroll, PhD at Boston's Children's Hospital to determine if changes in lupus patients' immune systems are directly responsible for the symptoms of mental illness outlined above. Their determination points to a new drug that might be able to safeguard the brain against neuropsychiatric effects of lupus as well as other diseases. Their findings were recently published in the journal Nature.
[For more of this story go to http://www.worldhealth.net/new...lammation-and-menta/]
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