Pathogenesis of Neuropsychiatric Systemic Lupus Erythematosus – Prof Graham Hughes

Graham Hughes trained at The London Hospital. In 1969-70, he spent two years with Professor Charles Christian in New York working on the introduction of anti-DNA assays in lupus. He set up Europe’s first dedicated lupus clinic in 1971 and described the antiphospholipid syndrome (Hughes Syndrome) in 1983. Professor Hughes has published widely on lupus and connective tissue diseases and has published twelve books.

It is suggested that transient disturbances of cerebral vascular function in SLE might allow brain-reactive antibodies from the circulation access to cerebral tissue.  The neuropsychiatric lupus brain had abnormal levels of oxygen uptake in various parts of the brain; “this was a precursor to the SPECT studies”