What question did this study set out to answer?

The aim is to examine whether Behçet’s syndrome contributes to cognitive impairment in older adults, particularly through neurodegenerative pathways.

June 4, 2026Aging Clinical and Experimental Research0 citationsOpen Access

Aging in Behçet’s syndrome: an overlooked risk for late-life cognitive impairment

DSDavide SpinettiUniversity of Padua MMMatilde MassaraUniversity of Padua CMCamilla MarroneUniversity of Padua

Key Points

The aim is to examine whether Behçet’s syndrome contributes to cognitive impairment in older adults, particularly through neurodegenerative pathways.
Coordinated agenda across neuropsychology, advanced imaging, and biomarker analysis.
Focus on populations with Behçet’s syndrome, particularly those exhibiting neuro-Behçet’s syndrome.
Assessment of long-term neurological and cognitive outcomes related to disease activity.
Emerging evidence indicates cognitive decline may occur despite lack of neurological symptoms.
Findings suggest Behçet’s syndrome could accelerate neurodegenerative trajectories in older individuals.
Urges the need for increased research focus on aging populations with Behçet’s syndrome.

Abstract

Abstract Behçet’s syndrome (BS) is a chronic multisystemic inflammatory disorder with a heterogeneous clinical course. A severe subset with central nervous system involvement (neuro-Behçet’s syndrome, NBS) carries substantial morbidity. While disease activity often decreases with age, the long-term neurological and cognitive outcomes remain poorly defined. Emerging evidence indicates that vascular insufficiency, chronic inflammation, and central nervous system involvement may contribute to cognitive decline in BS, even in the absence of frank neurological symptoms, suggesting a broader and underrecognized impact on brain function. These processes overlap with mechanisms implicated in age-related cognitive decline and dementia, bringing up the hypothesis that BS may accelerate neurodegenerative trajectories in older adults. However, this population remains underrepresented in research. Clarifying whether BS constitutes an overlooked cause or modifier of late-life cognitive decline is clinically urgent. A coordinated agenda spanning neuropsychology, advanced imaging, and biomarkers can deliver diagnostic pathways and testable prevention/management strategies for aging BS populations.

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