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Dementia 02

Topic: Imaging

Created on Thursday, February 22 2007 by jdmiles

Last modified on Thursday, February 22 2007.

A 63 year-old male presents to your office accompanied by his mother, who provides most of the history.
The mother states that for quite some time now, the patient has been distressed from seeing visions of appealing yellow gophers, has complained of a tremor in his hands, has had dramatic fluctuations in his level of arousal, has had more and more trouble remembering things, has been increasingly slow getting around, and has complained of rigidity.
Which of the following pathology findings is MOST characteristic of this patient's disease?

A) Neuronal aggregates

B) Punctate hemorrhages in periaqueductal grey and in the grey matter surrounding the 3rd and 4th ventricles

C) Basophilic cytoplasmic inclusions

D) Inclusions comprised primarily of alpha-synuclein

E) Inclusions comprised primarily of beta amyloid

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This question was created on February 22, 2007 by jdmiles.
This question was last modified on February 22, 2007.

ANSWERS AND EXPLANATIONS

A) neuronal aggregates

This answer is incorrect.

This patient's history is consistent with dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB). Patients with DLB develop Parkinsonian symptoms and dementia symptoms at approximately the same time. Other key clinical features include recurrent visual hallucinations and fluctuations in mental status. Neuronal aggregates and Bunina bodies are seen in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. (See References)


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B) punctate hemorrhages in periaqueductal grey and in the grey matter surrounding the 3rd and 4th ventricles

This answer is incorrect.

This patient's history is consistent with dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB). Patients with DLB develop Parkinsonian symptoms and dementia symptoms at approximately the same time. Other key clinical features include recurrent visual hallucinations and fluctuations in mental status. Punctate hemorrhages in periaqueductal grey and in the grey matter surrounding the 3rd and 4th ventricles are seen in Wenicke encephalopathy. (See References)


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C) basophilic cytoplasmic inclusions

This answer is incorrect.

This patient's history is consistent with dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB). Patients with DLB develop Parkinsonian symptoms and dementia symptoms at approximately the same time. Other key clinical features include recurrent visual hallucinations and fluctuations in mental status. Lewy bodies are eosinophilic cytoplasmic inclusions. (See References)


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D) inclusions comprised primarily of alpha-synuclein

This answer is correct.

This patient's history is consistent with dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB). Patients with DLB develop Parkinsonian symptoms and dementia symptoms at approximately the same time. Other key clinical features include recurrent visual hallucinations and fluctuations in mental status. Lewy bodies are eosinophilic cytoplasmic inclusions which contain alpha-synuclein. (See References)


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E) inclusions comprised primarily of beta amyloid

This answer is incorrect.

This patient's history is consistent with dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB). Patients with DLB develop Parkinsonian symptoms and dementia symptoms at approximately the same time. Other key clinical features include recurrent visual hallucinations and fluctuations in mental status. Lewy bodies are eosinophilic cytoplasmic inclusions comprised mainly of alpha-synuclein, not beta amyloid. (See References)


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References:

1. Victor, M., and Ropper, A.H. (2001). Adams and Victor's Principles of Neurology, 7th Edition. McGraw-Hill, New York.
2. DeKosky, S.T., Kaufer, D.I., and Lopez, O.L. (2004). The Dementias. In Bradley, W.G., Daroff, R.B., Fenichel, G.M., and Jankovic, J. (Eds.). Neurology in Clinical Practice, 4th Edition. Butterworth Heinemann, Philadelphia. Pp. 1901-1951
3. Prayson, R.A., and Goldblum, J.R. (Eds.) (2005). Neuropathology. Elsevier, Philadelphia.


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imaging
Dementia 02
Question ID: 02220701
Question written by J. Douglas Miles, (C) 2006-2009, all rights reserved.
Created: 02/22/2007
Modified: 02/22/2007
Estimated Permutations: 0