A case of Posterior Cortical Atrophy Presenting with Features of Atypical Dementia

비전형적 치매양상을 보이는 후부대뇌피질위축 증례보고

  • Park, Kee Hyung (Department of Neurology, Gachon University Gil Medical Center) ;
  • Kim, Sung-Wan (Department of Psychiatry and Clinical Trial Center, Chonnam National University Hospital) ;
  • Shin, Dong-Jin (Department of Neurology, Gachon University Gil Medical Center) ;
  • Park, Hyun-Mi (Department of Neurology, Gachon University Gil Medical Center) ;
  • Lee, Yeong-Bae (Department of Neurology, Gachon University Gil Medical Center) ;
  • Seung, Young-Hee (Department of Neurology, Gachon University Gil Medical Center)
  • 박기형 (가천의과학대학교 신경과학교실) ;
  • 김성완 (전남대학교병원 정신과학교실 및 임상시험센터) ;
  • 신동진 (가천의과학대학교 신경과학교실) ;
  • 박현미 (가천의과학대학교 신경과학교실) ;
  • 이영배 (가천의과학대학교 신경과학교실) ;
  • 성영희 (가천의과학대학교 신경과학교실)
  • Published : 2008.02.29

Abstract

Posterior cortical atrophy(PCA) is a presenile dementia that presents primarily with signs and symptoms of cortical visual dysfunction, while memory is relatively preserved until the late stage of the disease. We report a patient with PCA, confirmed by brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and $F^{18}$-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography(FDG PET). A 58-year-old right-handed woman presented initially with visual dimness and difficulty finding things around her. She had partial Balint's syndrome, partial Gerstmann syndrome, and idiomotor apraxia. She also had a mild memory disturbance, but preserved insight of her disease. Neuropsychological evaluation showed decreased parietal and left temporal functions bilaterally. Brain MRI and $F^{18}$-FDG PET revealed typical bilateral occipitoparietal atrophy and hypometabolism, which were slightly worse on the right side. Cholinesterase inhibitor administration for 6 months improved the memory impairment slightly, but not the cortical visual dysfunction. This is a typical case of PCA, confirmed by neurologic signs and imaging findings.

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