Case Studies Illustrating Focal Alzheimer's, Fluent Aphasia, Late-Onset Memory Loss, and Rapid Dementia

Neurol Clin. 2016 Aug;34(3):699-716. doi: 10.1016/j.ncl.2016.04.008. Epub 2016 Jun 3.

Abstract

Many dementia subtypes have more shared signs and symptoms than defining ones. We review 8 cases with 4 overlapping syndromes and demonstrate how to distinguish the cases. These include focal cortical presentations of Alzheimer's disease (AD; posterior cortical atrophy and corticobasal syndrome [CBS]), fluent aphasia (semantic dementia and logopenic aphasia), late-onset slowly progressive dementia (hippocampal sclerosis and limbic predominant AD) and rapidly progressive dementia (Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease and limbic encephalitis). Recognizing the different syndromes can help the clinician to improve their diagnostic skills, leading to improved patient outcomes by early and accurate diagnosis, prompt treatment, and appropriate counseling and guidance.

Keywords: Atypical Alzheimer’s; Fluent aphasia; Late-onset dementia; Rapid dementia.

Publication types

  • Case Reports
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Aged
  • Aged, 80 and over
  • Alzheimer Disease / diagnosis
  • Aphasia, Wernicke / diagnosis*
  • Aphasia, Wernicke / etiology
  • Dementia / diagnosis*
  • Dementia / etiology
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Memory Disorders / etiology*
  • Middle Aged
  • Time Factors