Cognitive impairment and neuropsychiatric manifestations of neurobrucellosis

• Published in: Neurological research (New York) 2021-01, Vol.43 (1), p.1-8
• Main Authors: Esmael, Ahmed, Elsherif, Mohamed, Elegezy, Mohamed, Egilla, Hosam
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Beck Anxiety Inventory; Beck Depression Inventory; MoCA; Neurobrucellosis
• ISSN: 0161-6412; 1743-1328
• DOI: 10.1080/01616412.2020.1812805

This study aimed to reveal insight into the unclear areas of the diagnosis in neurobrucellosis and to decide the neuropsychiatric manifestations and cognitive impairment among patients with brucellosis. 82 patients with serologically confirmed brucellosis were included and divided into two groups according to the neuropsychiatric manifestations, the first group included 18 patients with neurobrucellosis and the second group included 64 patients with non-neurobrucellosis. Both groups were compared regarding the general symptoms and neurological symptoms and signs. Cognitive impairment in both groups was assessed by Montreal-Cognitive Assessment (MoCA), Wechsler Memory Scale-Revised (WMS-R), and forward and backward digital test. Also, depression and anxiety were assessed by Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) and Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI). 18 (21.9%) patients were diagnosed as neurobrucellosis and 64 (78.1%) patients were diagnosed as non-neurobrucellosis. The mean age of the total patients was 34.91 ± 14.74, consisted of 45 males and 37. Most of the patients were living in rural areas 60 patients (74.4%). The most significantly higher neurological symptoms in neurobrucellosis patients were confusion and headache (P = 0.008 and P = 0.01, respectively). While the most significant higher neurological signs were loss of orientation (P = 0.009), muscle weakness (P = 0.04), neck rigidity (P