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Background Cognitive dysfunction is a common finding in patients with Behcet’s disease. Objectives The pattern of neuropsychological dysfunction in patients with Behcet’s disease (BD) was examined. The influence of current or past clinically overt central nervous system involvement, disease activity, corticosteroid use, HLA B51 allele, and anxiety and depression levels were evaluated. Methods Twenty-two BD patients fulfilling the criteria of the International Study Group for Behcet Disease, and twenty-two healthy controls, similar for age, gender and education were included in the study. Patients and controls underwent to a standardised battery of neuropsychological and psychological tests. Disease activity was assessed by using the Behcet Current Activity Index (BCAI). The current daily dosage of prednisone (mg/day) was recorded. Results Cognitive impairment was identified in 41.0% (9) of patients with BD (p Conclusion Cognitive dysfunction is a common finding in BD patients. Our series suggest that BD can be associated with a specific pattern of cognitive deficit, involving mainly long-term verbal and visuospatial abilities. |
