Old age is an established risk factor for Alzheimer’s disease (AD). However, young people may also suffer from AD due to the mutation in the presenilin 1 (PSEN1) gene. 1 Researchers from Capital Medical University, China, have reported an unusual case of probable AD in a 19-year-old male without any of the usual AD characteristics or genetic mutations. 2 The patient had gradual memory loss for two years . PET-MRI showed hypometabolism in the bilateral temporal lobe and atrophy of the bilateral hippocampus . Decreased amyloid-b 42/40 and elevated levels of p-tau 181 were found in the patient’s cerebrospinal fluid.
Interestingly, no known gene mutations were found in the whole-genome sequencing. The patient had no head trauma, infections, or family history of AD or dementia. A biopsy was not conducted owing to the associated risk. At this point, this case remains a medical mystery. Have…
