Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is an autoimmune disease with a large variety of clinical signs. Delirium, affective disorders, psychoses, anxiety disorders, personality changes or combinations oftheforementioned are the mental disorders frequently encountered with SLE. There are only few indications for an obvious pathogenic mechanism responsible for the mental disorders occurring with SLE. It seems that the psychopathology in SLE largely is reactive in its nature and as such related to the presence of a serious disease. Psychotic features are possibly an exception because they may be related to pathological changes in the brain of the SLE patient. The administration of corticosteroids is not responsible for the psychiatric syndromes observed in SLE.