He is the youngest patient ever diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease. This 19-year-old man from Beijing had been showing symptoms for two years when he finally consulted. By then, he already mightn’t remember his last meal and had to drop out of school.
The examinations carried out by his doctors of the Capital Medical University revealed that “His hypothalamus, an area of the brain that plays a role in cognition, had shrunk.” The hippocampus, fundamental in the functioning of memory, was also found to be atrophied. Damage was also seen in the temporal lobe. Not to mention that high levels of tau proteins have been noted. All of these elements correspond to criteria for identifying the disease.
However, unlike the majority of young patients so far, no family history or genetic mutation has been found. This exceptional case calls into question the image of Alzheimer’s disease of aging. Even if only 5 to 10% of cases occur before the age of 65. It further raises questions regarding the causes of pathology, in the absence of genetic mutation.
Source : Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease.