A Young Case with Multi-Infarct Dementia Associated with Lupus Anticoagulant

A 39-year-old man was admitted because of an abrupt onset of right-side weakness and dysarthria. During the 2 years before admission, he had suffered from insomnia, depressed mood and progressive memory disturbance. Neurological and psychiatric examination revealed severe intellectual impairment in addition to the neurological deficits. Neuroradiological examinations revealed multiple brain infarcts. He had no risk factor for stroke except for lupus anticoagulant. He was diagnosed as having multi-infarct dementia associated with antiphospholipid antibodies. This case suggests that it is necessary to investigate antiphospholipid antibodies in addition to neuroradiological examination when relatively young patients present with unexplained cognitive or behavioral symptoms. (Internal Medicine 33: 373-375, 1994)