A YOUNG CASE WITH MULTIINFARCT DEMENTIA ASSOCIATED WITH LUPUS ANTICOAGULANT

A 39-year-old man was admitted because of an abrupt onset of right-sid e weakness and dysarthria. During the 2 years before admission, he had suffered from insomnia, depressed mood and progressive memory disturb ance. Neurological and psychiatric examination revealed severe intelle ctual impairment in addition to the neurological deficits. Neuroradiol ogical examinations revealed multiple brain infarcts. He had no risk f actor for stroke except for lupus anticoagulant. He was diagnosed as h aving multi-infarct dementia associated with antiphospholipid antibodi es. This case suggests that it is necessary to investigate antiphospho lipid antibodies in addition to neuroradiological examination when rel atively young patients present with unexplained cognitive or behaviora l symptoms.