Pick's disease

Alternative names:

aphasia-agnosia-apraxia syndrome; Arnold Pick's disease; cerebral atrophy; circumscribed brain atrophy; lobar sclerosis; presenile dementia

Definition:

A disorder involving deterioration in mental function caused by disease-related changes in brain tissue, including shrinking of the tissues of the brain and the presence of abnormal bodies (Pick's bodies) in the nerve cells of the affected areas of the brain.

Causes, incidence, and risk factors:

Pick's disease is a rare disorder similar to senile dementia/Alzheimer's type. It affects about 1 out of 100,000 people. It affects both sexes, but it is more common in women than men. It may occur as early as 20 years old, but usually begins between ages 40 to 60. The average age of onset is 54 years.

The onset is usually slow and insidious. The disorder involves shrinking of the tissues (atrophy) of the frontal and temporal lobes of the brain. The neurons (nerve cells) in the affected areas contain abnormal material (Pick's bodies). There are no plaques or intracellular fibers. The exact cause is unknown. Pick's disease is theorized to be a dominant hereditary disorder.

The symptoms are similar to senile dementia/Alzheimer's type, with aphasia (loss of language abilities), agnosia (loss of ability to recognize objects or people), and apraxia (loss of skilled movement abilities). Behavioral changes may occur earlier than memory losses.

Risk factors include a having a personal or family history of Pick's disease or senile dementia.