Involvement Of The Amygdala In Systemic Lupus Erythematosus

Main Category: Lupus
Also Included In: Immune System / Vaccines
Article Date: 01 Jan 2007 - 0:00 PDT


In a mouse model of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), anti-NMDA receptor antibodies have been shown to gain access to the brain during stress, specifically damaging the amygdala (a part of the brain that is involved in emotion) and causing altered emotional responses.

In a paper published in PLoS Medicine from Leiden University Medical Center of 37 patients with neuropsychiatric SLE, 21 patients with SLE, and a group of 12 healthy control participants, damage was found in the amygdala of patients with SLE, especially in patients with anti-NMDA receptor antibodies. These results offer a glimpse into the interaction between the immune system and the brain.

A related perspective article by Betty Diamond and Bruce Volpe discusses the findings further.

Citation: Emmer BJ, van der Grond G, Steup-Beekman GM, Huizinga TWJ, van Buchem MA (2006)
Selective involvement of the amygdala in systemic lupus erythematosus. PLoS Med 3(12): e499.
http://medicine.plosjournals.org/perlserv/?request=get-document&doi=10.1371/journal.pmed.0030499

PLoS Medicine is an open access, freely available international medical journal. It publishes original research that enhances our understanding of human health and disease, together with commentary and analysis of important global health issues. For more information, visit http://www.plosmedicine.org

About the Public Library of Science

The Public Library of Science (PLoS) is a non-profit organization of scientists and physicians committed to making the world's scientific and medical literature a freely available public resource. For more information, visit http://www.plos.org

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