An autopsy case of diffuse atypical argyrophilic grain disease (AGD) with presenile onset and three-year course of motor and cognitive impairment

Neuropathology. 2024 Jun;44(3):200-207. doi: 10.1111/neup.12949. Epub 2023 Nov 7.

Abstract

We report a case of argyrophilic grain disease (AGD) with unique clinical and pathological presentations. A 52-year-old man presented with spastic quadriparesis, bulbar palsy, and mild cognitive decline. His condition deteriorated rapidly and he died of pneumonia three years from onset. Pathologically, neuronal degeneration was involved severely in the amygdala, ambient gyrus, midbrain tegmentum, and reticular formation. The neurons of the temporal lobe, cingulate gyrus, brainstem, and spinal gray matter were also lost moderately. There was diffuse 4-repeat tau-pathology with argyrophilic grains. There were pretangles, globose-type neurofibrillary tangles, and coiled bodies in the cerebral cortices, basal ganglia, thalami, brainstem, and the spinal cord except for the cerebellar cortices. There was no pathologic mutation in MAPT.

Keywords: argyrophilic grain disease; presenile onset; primary lateral sclerosis; reticular formation.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Autopsy
  • Brain / pathology
  • Cognitive Dysfunction* / pathology
  • Disease Progression
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Neurodegenerative Diseases / complications
  • Neurodegenerative Diseases / pathology
  • Neurofibrillary Tangles / pathology
  • tau Proteins / metabolism

Substances

  • tau Proteins