Can Sjogren's Affect the Brain?
2026 Research on Neurological Symptoms
What if some of the Sjogren’s neurological symptoms people living with the disease have been talking about for years are finally getting a closer look?
Sjogren’s disease is still most easily recognized by its hallmark symptoms: dry eyes and dry mouth.
But Sjogren’s is a systemic autoimmune disease, and researchers continue to investigate what happens when the disease involves parts of the body far beyond the moisture-producing glands.
One area receiving increased attention is the central nervous system, or CNS.
And newly published research is giving researchers, healthcare professionals and patients a much broader picture of the neurological manifestations that have been reported in people living with Sjogren’s.
What is the central nervous system?
Before we get into the research, let’s make this easier to understand.
Your central nervous system includes your brain and spinal cord.
That’s different from your peripheral nervous system, which includes nerves outside the brain and spinal cord.
It’s also different from your autonomic nervous system, which helps regulate many of the things your body does automatically, including heart rate, blood pressure, digestion and sweating.
Why does this distinction matter?
Because when someone with Sjogren’s says they’re experiencing “neurological symptoms,” that can mean many different things.
Peripheral neuropathy is not the same as central nervous system involvement. Dysautonomia is not the same as a disorder involving the brain or spinal cord.
And neurological symptoms shouldn’t automatically be placed into one big Sjogren’s bucket.
A new look at decades of Sjogren's research
In September 2026, researchers published a scoping review and meta-analysis in Arthritis Care & Research examining central nervous system manifestations reported in people with Sjogren’s disease.
This wasn’t a study looking at one small group of patients.
Researchers searched medical literature spanning decades—from 1980 through January 29, 2026.
Their search identified 22,857 citations.
After applying the study’s inclusion criteria, 108 studies were included in the review.
Researchers were then able to generate pooled estimates for 23 different central nervous system manifestations.
The Sjögren’s Foundation describes this as the first comprehensive review examining the frequency and range of CNS manifestations reported in people with Sjogren’s disease.
That makes this research worth paying attention to.
But it is equally important to understand what the research does—and does not—tell us.
What neurological manifestations were reported?
Researchers found a broad spectrum of central nervous system manifestations reported among people with Sjogren’s.
Several were reported at frequencies exceeding those described in general-population references.
- Migraine
- Depression
- Insomnia
- Cognitive dysfunction
- Psychosis
- Movement disorders
- Aseptic meningoencephalitis
- Neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder
- Optic neuritis
- Multiple sclerosis
- Cerebral vasculitis
- Cerebellar syndrome
- Spinal cord involvement
- Non-localizing somatosensory complaints
That’s quite a list.
And if you live with Sjogren’s and recognize something on it, it’s understandable that your next thought might be:
Wait. Is Sjogren’s causing this?
The answer isn’t that simple.
And that may be one of the most important takeaways from this research.
Reported with Sjogren's does not automatically mean caused by Sjogren's
This distinction matters.
The researchers found considerable variation across the studies they reviewed. Some of the pooled estimates were also strongly influenced by individual studies.
Most importantly, the researchers caution that determining whether a particular neurological manifestation represents direct Sjogren’s involvement or a separate, coexisting condition remains difficult.
Association is not the same thing as causation.
If someone with Sjogren’s develops migraines, for example, that doesn’t automatically mean Sjogren’s caused the migraines.
The same caution applies to cognitive dysfunction, insomnia, depression, movement disorders and the other neurological manifestations examined in this research.
But there’s another side to that conversation.
We also shouldn’t automatically assume that a neurological symptom experienced by someone with Sjogren’s couldn’t possibly be relevant to their disease.
There is an important space between:
“This is definitely Sjogren’s.”
and
“This has nothing to do with Sjogren’s.”
Sometimes the appropriate response is:
“This deserves evaluation.”
Can Sjogren's affect the brain?
This is probably one of the biggest questions patients will have when they see research like this.
The brain is part of the central nervous system, and CNS involvement has been reported in Sjogren’s disease.
But “Sjogren’s affecting the brain” is a much broader statement than it may initially sound.
Different neurological manifestations can have very different causes, mechanisms and clinical significance.
A headache is not the same thing as optic neuritis. Cognitive difficulties are not the same thing as cerebral vasculitis. Sleep problems are not the same thing as spinal-cord involvement.
That’s why a symptom list by itself cannot tell someone whether Sjogren’s is responsible.
The person’s complete medical history, symptoms, examination and appropriate testing all matter.
What about brain fog and cognitive problems?
Cognitive dysfunction was among the CNS manifestations examined in the new research.
For patients, this may be particularly interesting because “brain fog” is a phrase commonly used to describe difficulties with things such as concentration, memory, processing information or finding words.
But brain fog itself is not a diagnosis.
There can be many contributors to cognitive difficulties, including sleep disruption, medications, pain, fatigue, mood disorders and other medical conditions.
So once again, the existence of cognitive dysfunction in Sjogren’s research doesn’t mean every episode of forgetfulness or brain fog is direct CNS involvement from Sjogren’s.
It does mean cognitive symptoms are part of the neurological conversation researchers are studying.
What about migraines and headaches?
Migraine was another manifestation identified by the researchers as occurring at a frequency exceeding general-population references in the studies they reviewed.
That doesn’t mean everyone with Sjogren’s who has migraines has neurological involvement caused by Sjogren’s.
Migraines are common in the general population and can exist completely independently of autoimmune disease.
But when researchers repeatedly identify a manifestation across studies of people with Sjogren’s, it creates a reason to investigate the relationship more carefully.
And that’s exactly what research like this is designed to help accomplish.
Why this new research matters
This study doesn’t give us every answer.
In many ways, it helps us see where the questions still are.
By pulling decades of research together, researchers can begin identifying patterns, inconsistencies and gaps in what we know about neurological Sjogren’s.
That matters because recognizing a possible manifestation is only the beginning.
Healthcare professionals also need evidence to help answer much harder questions:
- How common is it?
- How should it be evaluated?
- How do we determine whether Sjogren’s is actually responsible?
- What other conditions need to be ruled out?
- And if Sjogren’s is involved, how should that manifestation be managed?
Those are very different questions from simply asking whether a symptom has ever been reported in someone with Sjogren’s.
The Sjögren's Foundation is developing CNS clinical guidance
This research is especially timely because the Sjögren’s Foundation is also working on a forthcoming Clinical Practice Guideline on Central Nervous System Manifestations of Sjogren’s Disease.
As of September 2026, that CNS clinical guidance is still in development.
The Foundation says the new research complements that guideline work.
That’s important because one of the challenges surrounding neurological Sjogren’s has been determining how symptoms should be recognized, evaluated, attributed and managed.
A research review can help define the evidence.
Clinical guidance can eventually help translate that evidence into healthcare practice.
What should patients do with this information?
The answer is not to take a list of neurological manifestations and try to diagnose yourself.
Instead, use information like this to become a better observer and communicator of what is happening in your body.
If you’re experiencing a neurological symptom that is new, persistent, changing or interfering with your daily life, document it.
Pay attention to things such as:
- When did it begin?
- How often does it happen?
- Has it changed over time?
- What makes it better or worse?
- Is there a pattern?
- What does it prevent or make harder for you to do?
And if you already have Sjogren’s, make sure the healthcare professional evaluating your neurological symptoms knows Sjogren’s is part of your medical history.
You don’t have to determine whether Sjogren’s caused the symptom.
That’s not your job.
Your job is to describe what you’re experiencing clearly enough that the appropriate healthcare professionals can investigate it.
Frequently Asked Questions About Sjogren's and Neurological Symptoms
Can Sjogren’s cause neurological symptoms?
Neurological manifestations have been reported in people with Sjogren’s disease and can involve the central, peripheral or autonomic nervous systems. However, whether a specific neurological problem is directly caused by Sjogren’s requires individual medical evaluation.
Can Sjogren’s affect the brain and spinal cord?
The brain and spinal cord make up the central nervous system. CNS manifestations have been reported in people with Sjogren’s, and researchers are actively studying their frequency and relationship to the disease.
Does having brain fog mean Sjogren’s is affecting my brain?
Not necessarily. Cognitive dysfunction has been studied in Sjogren’s, but problems with memory, concentration or thinking can have many potential contributors. Brain fog alone cannot determine whether someone has direct CNS involvement.
Are migraines a symptom of Sjogren’s?
Migraine was among the manifestations reported at an elevated frequency in the studies included in the 2026 review. That association does not establish that Sjogren’s causes an individual’s migraines.
Should I see a neurologist for neurological symptoms?
The appropriate specialist depends on the symptoms and individual situation. A healthcare provider can help determine whether neurological evaluation or referral is appropriate.
We are still learning what neurological Sjogren's looks like
Perhaps one of the most important things about this research is that it isn’t being presented as the final answer.
It’s helping define the questions that still need answers.
- What does true CNS involvement in Sjogren’s look like?
- How common is it?
- Which symptoms are directly attributable to Sjogren’s?
- How should patients be evaluated?
- What testing is most useful?
- And how should different manifestations be treated?
We don’t have all of those answers yet.
But there is an enormous difference between saying:
“We don’t fully understand this yet.”
and
“This isn’t happening.”
Research is how we begin closing that gap.
My takeaway
If you’ve followed Sjogren’s with Jody for any length of time, you know I talk a lot about paying attention to patterns and bringing the whole story into the room.
This research is another reason why.
Sjogren’s is more than dry eyes and dry mouth.
But that doesn’t mean every symptom experienced by someone with Sjogren’s should automatically be blamed on the disease.
There is an important space between those two extremes.
It’s the space where we notice.
We document.
We ask questions.
And we investigate.
As researchers continue learning more about neurological Sjogren’s, I’ll continue following the evidence and helping you understand what it may mean for the people living with this disease.
Looking for more Sjogren's education and support?
Explore the resources available here on Sjogren's with Jody.
Research Source
Varadhachary A, Noaiseh G, Frantsve-Hawley J, et al. A Scoping Review and Meta-Analysis of Proportions of Central Nervous System Manifestations Reported in Patients with Sjögren’s Disease. Arthritis Care & Research. First published September 21, 2026. DOI: 10.1002/acr.80166. PMID: 42765529.
Read the full open-access article in Arthritis Care & Research
Educational Disclaimer
This article is for educational purposes only and is not medical advice. Neurological symptoms can have many possible causes. New, persistent, severe or changing neurological symptoms should be discussed with an appropriate healthcare professional.