Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42393808›Full record

ArticleBMC rheumatology2026

Cerebellar volume alterations are associated with cognitive dysfunction and fatigue in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus.

Zahra Makdad Najeeb, Grégory Kuchcinski, Kristoffer Alexander Zervides, Jimmy Lätt, Tim Salomonsson, Petra Nilsson, Anders Bengtsson, Laura E M Wisse, Pia C Sundgren, Andreas Jönsen

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in BMC rheumatology, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

10 authors.

Zahra Makdad NajeebSection of Diagnostic Radiology, Department of Clinical Sciences Lund, Lund University, Lund, Sweden.
Grégory KuchcinskiUniv. Lille, CHU Lille, U1172 - LilNCog - Lille Neuroscience & Cognition, Inserm, Lille, F-59000, France.
Kristoffer Alexander ZervidesDepartment of Clinical Sciences Lund, Rheumatology, Lund University, Skåne University Hospital, Lund, Sweden.
Jimmy LättDepartment of Medical Imaging and Physiology, Skåne University Hospital, Lund, Sweden.
Tim SalomonssonSection of Diagnostic Radiology, Department of Clinical Sciences Lund, Lund University, Lund, Sweden.
Petra NilssonDepartment of Clinical Sciences Lund, Neurology, Lund University, Skåne University Hospital, Lund, Sweden.
Anders BengtssonDepartment of Clinical Sciences Lund, Rheumatology, Lund University, Skåne University Hospital, Lund, Sweden.
Laura E M WisseSection of Diagnostic Radiology, Department of Clinical Sciences Lund, Lund University, Lund, Sweden.
Pia C Sundgren *Section of Diagnostic Radiology, Department of Clinical Sciences Lund, Lund University, Lund, Sweden. pia.sundgren@med.lu.se.
Andreas Jönsen *Department of Clinical Sciences Lund, Rheumatology, Lund University, Skåne University Hospital, Lund, Sweden.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundSystemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a systemic autoimmune disease targeting multiple organ systems, including the nervous system. The cerebellum may be involved in prevalent neuropsychiatric manifestations, such as depression and cognitive dysfunction, alongside other prevalent SLE manifestations such as pain and fatigue. We aim to compare cerebellar volumes in SLE patients and healthy individuals (HI) and assess the correlation between cerebellar volumes and cognitive impairment, fatigue, pain, and depression in SLE.

methods72 female SLE patients and 25 age- and sex-matched HI underwent 3 tesla magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), clinical evaluations, and cognitive testing. T1-weighted MRI scans were segmented using CEREbellum Segmentation (CERES) volBrain automatic segmentation. Extracted cerebellar lobule volumes (normalized to total cerebellar volume) were compared between SLE and HI using analyses of covariance (ANCOVA). In regions showing significant volume changes between SLE and HI, the relationship between volume and clinical scores for cognitive impairment, fatigue, pain, and depression was analyzed using either ANCOVAs or partial correlation analyses.

resultsLobular analysis of the cerebellum revealed significant (p < 0.05) region-specific volume alterations in SLE compared with HI. Bilateral and left lobule IV volumes were larger, while bilateral, right, and left lobule VIIB volumes were smaller in SLE compared to HI. Smaller white matter volumes in right lobule VIIIA, and right lobule X and larger white matter volumes in lobule crus I were observed in SLE compared to HI. In SLE, smaller VIIB volumes were significantly correlated with poorer cognitive performance (both complex attention and cognitive flexibility), and with higher fatigue scores.

conclusionThe findings suggest that the cerebellum, and particularly lobule VIIB, is involved in SLE and may contribute to both cognitive dysfunction and fatigue in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus.

trial registrationNot applicable.

Indexed as

Cerebellar lobulesCerebellumMRISystemic lupus erythematous (SLE)

Identifiers

PMID42393808
PMCPMC13335149

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.