Alzheimer’s disease, commonly associated with older adults, has claimed a new victim – a 19-year-old male who is the youngest person ever to be diagnosed with the condition in the world.
The patient began experiencing memory decline around age 17 and showed worsening cognitive losses over time. Imaging of his brain revealed shrinkage in the hippocampus, a region crucial for memory, and an abnormality in cerebrospinal fluid indicative of Alzheimer’s.
Early-onset cases account for up to 10% of all diagnoses, with younger patients being more likely to have inherited faulty genes that cause familial Alzheimer’s disease. However, researchers failed to identify any typical gene mutations responsible for the patient’s early onset of memory loss.
The case poses a mystery, as the patient had no family history of Alzheimer’s or dementia and no other diseases or head trauma that could explain his cognitive decline. Despite this, the teenager’s medical team is urging long-term follow-up to support his diagnosis, which has altered their understanding of typical age of onset for Alzheimer’s.
The study highlights the complexity of Alzheimer’s disease, suggesting it emerges through various avenues with differing effects. The researchers argue that future studies should focus on early-onset cases to better understand memory loss and are calling for increased research into this often-challenging area of science.
Source: https://www.sciencealert.com/sad-case-of-the-youngest-person-ever-diagnosed-with-alzheimers