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Washington University Experience | NEURODEGENERATION | Argyrophilic Grain Disease (AGD) | 2A0 Case 2 History
Case 2 History ---- This 67-year-old male had a history of an essential tremor, depression, and alcohol abuse 20 years previously. There was a family history of dementia in 4 of his 13 siblings and one sister had Parkinson’s disease. His family had noticed a change in memory and thinking over 5 years but that it was inconsistent. At that time he was rated CDR 0, no dementia. In 1997, he had a MI followed by angioplasty and then was diagnosed with diabetes and Parkinson’s disease, treated with Sinemet. In 2000, he was rated CDR 0.5, dementia associated with Parkinson’s disease primary, and dementia due to medication and depression secondary. In 2002 he developed a decrease in short term memory. His CDR rating was 0.5, uncertain dementia, with Parkinson’s medications, questionable alcoholism, and remote depression noted. He was rated CDR 0 from 2004-2009. The patient reported trouble with sleep and “visions” in which he talked to dead people but believed they may have simply been dreams. He died at home unexpectedly in March 2010 at age 81 likely from a known cardiac condition. In the retrospective interview, the son reported that his father had some very mild terminal memory problems and had increasing forgetfulness. At the time of his death, his CDR was 0.5 (in memory and judgment/problem solving). Thus, over the 13 years he was followed there had not been a progressive decline of his cognitive ability. His final diagnosis was Parkinson’s disease with very subtle memory changes thought to reflect very mild dementia associated with PD. ----
At autopsy the fresh brain weighed 1200g.
