Neuronal Hyaline Inclusions Observed in an Autopsy Case of Behçet's Disease

An autopsy case of Behçet's disease is reported. The patient, a 59 year old Japanese woman, died of intestinal bleeding after a 34 year clinical course of Behçet's disease. She also suffered from recurrent oral aphthous ulcers, erythema nodosum like cutaneous lesions and genital ulcerated lesions. Autopsy revealed marked atherosclerosis of the aorta and multiple deep ulcerations in the terminal ileum with no significant vascular lesions. Lewy bodies and globular hyaline inclusions in the neurons of the central nervous system were noted, although there were no clinical symptoms of Parkinson's disease throughout the clinical course. These findings appear to suggest that the patient was probably in the preclinical or early stage of Parkinson's disease. However, the presence of Lewy bodies in the 6th decade without any accompanying symptoms is very rare. This case seems to draw attention to the presence of these neuronal inclusions in Behçet's disease.