Presumed Alzheimer's Disease Beginning at Different Ages in Two Twins

Abstract

Alzheimer's disease is a condition of gradually declining mental capacity with onset in the senium or pre-senium. This deinenting process is heralded by a progressive loss of memory for recent events. Clinical features include not only memory impairment but disorientation, decreased concentration, and often also anxiety, delusions, hallucinations, personality change, and neuromuscular disorders. A presumptive diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease is based on typical clinical and laboratory findings, but the diagnosis is definitive only with histologic confirmation of characteristic findings, such as senile plaques and neurofibrillary tangles. Etiology is unknown; various genetic, viral, toxic, and defective immune system theories have been advanced.This case depicts a patient with a presumptive diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease that began at 74 years of age. Her twin sister had a similar clinical picture beginning at age 68.

Dementia of frontal lobe type in monozygotic twins

“…There have been a significant number of reports in the literature of monozygotic twins exhibiting Alzheimer's disease (Cook et al, 1981;Kilpatrick et al, 1983;Nee et al, 1987). In two twin studies, discordance between twin pairs has been evident (Creasey et al, 1989;Embry and Lippmann, 1985). We report the occurrence of clinically presumed dementia of frontal lobe type in male monozygotic twins.…”

“…In two twin studies, discordance between twin pairs has been evident (Creasey et al, 1989;Embry and Lippmann, 1985). We report the occurrence of clinically presumed dementia of frontal lobe type in male monozygotic twins.…”

Primary degenerative dementia of the Alzheimer type in twins: Initial findings from the Maudsley Hospital Twin Register

“…To date, there have been more detailed reports published on 35 proven or presumed MZ and five DZ twin-pairs, with one or both twins in each pair said to be affected with AD (Davidson and Robertson, 1955;Hunter et al, 1972;Sharman et al, 1979;Cook et al, 1981;Kilpatrick et al, 1983;Doi et al, 1984;Embry and Lippmann, 1985;Renvoize et af., 1986;Luxenberg et al, 1987;Nee et al, 1987;Fitch et al, 1988;Resnick et al, 1988;Zubenko and Ferrell, 1988;Creasey et al, 1989;Kumar et al, 1991;Karlinsky et al, 1992). Sixteen of the 35 MZ twin pairs were described as concordant for AD and the remaining 19 pairs as discordant, while of the five DZ twin-pairs two were considered to be concordant.…”