RESEARCH ARTICLE


Simultaneous Onset of Alzheimer’s Disease in a Husband and Wife in Their Mid-Fifties: What Do We Really Know About Environmental Factors?



Ari Pelcovits, Rachel Marriotti, Jonathan Heath, George Perry , Rudy J Castellani*
Division of Neuropathology, 22 South Greene Street, Baltimore, MD 21201


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Creative Commons License
© Pelcovits et al.; Licensee Bentham Open.

open-access license: This is an open access article licensed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/3.0/) which permits unrestricted, non-commercial use, distribution and reproduction in any medium, provided the work is properly cited.

* Address correspondence to this author at the Division of Neuropathology, 22 South Greene Street, Baltimore, MD 21201; Tel: 410-328-5508; Fax: 410-328-55055; E-mail: rcastellani@som.umaryland.edu


Abstract

Introduction:

Environmental factors can play a role in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer’s disease. We present a case of the simultaneous onset of Alzheimer’s disease in two middle aged adults.

Case presentation:

A married couple ages 54 year and 51-year-old female cohabiting together were diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease within the same year. The patient’s both developed cognitive decline shortly after a major renovation of their property and followed a similar disease course. The diagnosis was supported by clinical presentation and tissue pathology on autopsy.

Conclusion:

Environmental factors may play a role in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer’s disease. Further understanding of the disease cascade is required.

Keywords: Alzheimer’s, Amyloid Beta, Dementia, Environmental Toxins, Neurofibrillary Tangles, Neuropathology.