Neuropsychiatric symptoms correlated with autoimmune diseases of the nervous system
Przemysław Robert Dalski-Szeląg1, Roksana Grzeszczak1, Milena Zaremba2, Magdalena Grabińska3, Wojciech Mikołaj Szkudlarek4, Maksym K. Gmur1
Affiliation and address for correspondenceAutoimmune diseases of the nervous system often cause neuropsychiatric symptoms, which may both herald the disease and indicate its exacerbation. This paper discusses autoimmune diseases of the nervous system in which neuropsychiatric symptoms occur particularly frequently or are especially severe, including systemic lupus erythematosus, chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy, multiple sclerosis, Hashimoto’s encephalopathy, Guillain–Barré syndrome, paediatric autoimmune neuropsychiatric disorders associated with streptococcal infections (PANDAS), and myasthenia gravis, with particular emphasis on their neuropsychiatric manifestations. In systemic lupus erythematosus, neuropsychiatric symptoms affect 30–40% of patients and may include cognitive impairment, psychosis, headaches, mood disorders, and other disturbances. Hashimoto’s encephalopathy is a rare but serious disease requiring rapid immunosuppressive intervention, manifesting with cognitive dysfunction, seizures, productive symptoms, mood changes, and more. Multiple sclerosis, in addition to the neurological symptoms typical of disease relapses, also causes fatigue, affecting about 80% of patients, depression, anxiety, and cognitive dysfunctions. Myasthenia gravis, beyond its typical symptoms, often also presents with neuropsychiatric symptoms such as chronic fatigue, anxiety, and sleep disorders. Neuropsychiatric symptoms of autoimmune diseases of the nervous system, particularly depression, cognitive impairments, anxiety, psychosis, but also others, significantly reduce patients’ quality of life. Early identification of these symptoms is crucial not only for improving quality of life but also often for enhancing patient prognosis and reducing neurological complications.











