[Disorders of concentration and memory in young adults and middle-aged persons].
Four patients, two women aged 29 and 52 and two men aged 46 and 25, respectively, consulted a neurologist for attention and memory disorders. Further investigation revealed that the symptoms were caused by metachromatic leucodystrophy, Graves' disease, Huntington's disease, and a psychological background, respectively. The first patient became dependent in 1.5 years, the second recovered after treatment, the third was independent with slowly progressive symptoms after 1 year, and the fourth was advised to consult a psychologist. Disorders of attention and memory in relatively young people deserve a detailed evaluation at the very first visit, involving the elaboration of an initially extensive differential diagnosis. Too early a separation between a psychic and an organic pathogenesis should be avoided. Indications for the presence of a neurological condition include: consultation at the initiative of others, a relatively brief duration of symptoms without a clear provoking factor, the absence of a psychiatric history or life event, cognitive dysfunction in several areas, abnormal behaviour and an incriminating family history.
Verduyn
T J
TJ
Afd. Neurologie, Sint Lucas Andreas Ziekenhuis, Postbus 9243, 1006 AE Amsterdam. j.verduyn@slaz.nl
Blok
A
A
Vergouwen
A C M
AC
Weinstein
H C
HC
D000328:Adult; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D006111:Graves Disease / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis; D006801:Humans; D006816:Huntington Disease / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis; D007966:Leukodystrophy, Metachromatic / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis; D008297:Male; D008569:Memory Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology; D008875:Middle Aged; D009460:Neurologic Examination; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D011602:Psychophysiologic Disorders / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis*