Table of Contents
Washington University Experience | NEURODEGENERATION | Alzheimer Disease | Gross Pathology | 5A0 Case 5 History
Case 5 History
The patient was a 54-year-old female with suspected frontotemporal dementia since age 43. Her symptoms initially started with personality changes and judgement. In 2007, when she was first seen, she was noted to have difficulty with memory, time relationships, navigation, simple calculations, shopping, use of household appliances, and social appropriateness. Her global CDR score was 3. Motor exam was unremarkable except for a slight bradykinesia and hyperreflexic responses. Inappropriate laughter and behavior were frequent, and conversation was very limited. In 2012, while in adult day care, she started to have seizures and unsteady gait, and was placed in hospice. In hospice, the patient had difficulty with recall and did not communicate at all. She was noted to smile and giggle but did not seem to recognize her family and had difficulty with word-finding, eating, washing, grooming, dressing, and incontinence. She had no history of stroke, resting tremor, unusual limb movement, or hallucinations. Her past medical history includes osteopenia with right hip and femur fractures. In August 2014, she was noted to be in respiratory distress, and expired with a clinical diagnosis of dementia.
