Case of early-onset Alzheimer's disease with atypical manifestation. Issue 1 (28th January 2021)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Zhu, Lin; Sun, Limin; Sun, Lin; Xiao, Shifu
• Is Part Of: General psychiatry. Volume 34:Issue 1(2021)
• Publication Date: 2021-01-28
• Subjects: diagnosis -- dual (psychiatry) -- cognition disorders; Psychiatry -- Periodicals; 616.89
• DOI: 10.1136/gpsych-2020-100283
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 2096-5923

Abstract

Abstract : Short-term memory decline is the typical clinical manifestation of Alzheimer's disease (AD). However, early-onset AD usually has atypical symptoms and may get misdiagnosed. In the present case study, we reported a patient who experienced symptoms of memory loss with progressive non-fluent aphasia accompanied by gradual social withdrawal. He did not meet the diagnostic criteria of AD based on the clinical manifestation and brain MRI. However, his cerebrospinal fluid examination showed a decreased level of beta-amyloid 42, and increased total tau and phosphorylated tau. Massive amyloid β-protein deposition by 11C-Pittsburgh positron emission tomography confirmed the diagnosis of frontal variant AD. This case indicated that early-onset AD may have progressive non-fluent aphasia as the core manifestation. The combination of individual and precision diagnosis would be beneficial for similar cases.