Neurosarcoidosis

Alternative names:

sarcoidosis - nervous system

Symptoms:

Involvement of the pituitary gland can cause:

• high urine output
• excessive thirst
• changes in menstrual periods
• excessive tiredness (fatigue)

Involvement of the brain or cranial nerves:

• facial palsy (weakness, drooping)
• dementia or delirium
  • confusion, disorientation
  • loss of memory, judgment, calculating, etc.

• psychiatric disturbances (any)
• seizures
• headache
• loss of smell
• loss of taste, abnormal tastes
• decreased hearing
• vision abnormalities
• dizziness or vertigo (abnormal sensation of movement)
• speech impairment

Involvement of one or more peripheral nerves:

• loss of sensation of any body part
• abnormal sensations in any body part
• loss of movement of any body part (joint stiffness)
• weakness of any body part

Note: The symptoms are highly variable. Any part of the nervous system may become involved in neurosarcoidosis. Involvement may be a single nerve, multiple nerves, or generalized.

Signs and tests:

An examination may indicate single nerve dysfunction (mononeuropathy) or dysfunction of multiple peripheral nerves (sensorimotor polyneuropathy). Signs may mimic diabetes insipidus, hypopituitarism, optic neuritis, meningitis, space-occupying lesions such as tumors, or other neurologic disorders. A history of sarcoidosis followed by neurologic symptoms is highly suggestive of neurosarcoidosis.

Blood tests are nonspecific.
If sarcoidosis is suspected but not already known, a chest X-ray often reveals lesions typical of the disorder. Nerve biopsy of affected nerve tissue confirms the disorder.