Episodic Memory Loss: When Alzheimer's Disease Is Not the Answer

J Alzheimers Dis Rep. 2024 Apr 18;8(1):709-713. doi: 10.3233/ADR-240014. eCollection 2024.

Abstract

A 60-year-old man presented to a Neurology Clinic specialized in cognitive disorders to evaluate memory complaints. A comprehensive neuropsychological examination detected an isolated and severe hippocampal memory deficit. Laboratory tests, brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) tests, including Alzheimer's disease (AD) biomarkers, did not show remarkable results. Due to family history of cognitive impairment, we extended the study to non-Alzheimer monogenic mutations (Next Generation Sequencing) detecting a pathogenic variant of the progranulin (PGRN) gene (c.1414-1 G > T) which has been previously associated with the same phenotype. These results should be considered in patients with an Alzheimer-like presentation, negative AD biomarkers' results, and family history of dementia.

Keywords: Alzheimer’s disease; dementia; human GRN protein; limbic-predominant age-related TDP-43 encephalopathy; neurocognitive disorder.

Publication types

  • Case Reports