Sjögren syndrome: central nervous system manifestations.

We studied eight patients who had primary Sjögren syndrome and central nervous system (CNS) disorders that were not attributable to other causes. Focal cerebral deficits were observed in five patients. Aseptic meningoencephalitis was seen in five patients, recurrent in one. Spinal cord manifestations in three patients took several forms: acute transverse myelitis, chronic progressive myelopathy, and spinal subarachnoid hemorrhage. Precipitating antibodies to the Ro(SSA) cytoplasmic antigen were detected in the sera of seven of eight patients. This may be relevant to the pathogenesis of CNS disease in Sjögren syndrome, because there is a strong correlation between vasculitis and the presence of anti-Ro(SSA) antibodies in this connective tissue disorder.