Chronic behavior disturbance and neurocognitive deficits in neuro-Behcet's disease: a case study

Neurocase. 2016 Jun;22(3):332-8. doi: 10.1080/13554794.2016.1186701. Epub 2016 May 25.

Abstract

Behcet's disease is a vasculitis and multisystem inflammatory syndrome. Neurological abnormalities occur in a subset of patients. This report presents a case of neuro-Behcet's disease characterized by an initial onset of behavior changes prior to diagnosis, which evolved into a chronic behavioral syndrome. Neuroimaging investigations revealed progressive periventricular white matter and brainstem atrophy and lesions in the basal ganglia and deep white matter tracts, while neuropsychological investigations revealed reductions in information processing, executive functioning, and memory. The case indicates that behavior changes may be the first symptoms to emerge in Behcet's, before other defining features of the disease.

Keywords: Bechet’s syndrome; Behcet disease; behavior; neuroimaging; neuropsychology.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Basal Ganglia / diagnostic imaging
  • Basal Ganglia / pathology*
  • Behavioral Symptoms / etiology*
  • Behcet Syndrome / complications*
  • Behcet Syndrome / pathology
  • Brain Stem / diagnostic imaging
  • Brain Stem / pathology*
  • Cognitive Dysfunction / etiology*
  • Humans
  • Male
  • White Matter / diagnostic imaging
  • White Matter / pathology*