Susac syndrome (SS) is an autoimmune microangiopathy that affects the brain, retina, and inner ear, causing a wide range of clinical manifestations. The triad of encephalopathy, visual disturbances, and hearing loss constitute the classic disease presentation.We describe an original clinical case of a young male with a definitive diagnosis of SS, who presented with disordered behavior and amnesia, initially manifested as a dissociative or anxiety disorder but with a fulminant evolution toward severe encephalopathy associated with retinal infarcts and sensorineural hearing loss.After the diagnosis of SS, aggressive immunosuppressive treatment was started with significant neurological improvement and favorable evolution during the follow-up period. SS is a rare but potentially devastating disease that can cause great disability if not properly diagnosed and treated. The onset of SS with behavioral or psychiatric manifestation can be misleading, causing a diagnostic delay.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.