title: Alzheimer abnormalities of the amygdala with Klüver-Bucy syndrome symptoms: an amygdaloid variant of Alzheimer disease.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Neurofibrillary tangles and beta-amyloid plaques have been observed in the amygdala in Alzheimer disease. A disproportionate abundance of this abnormality in the amygdala may cause behavioral symptoms similar to Klüver-Bucy syndrome.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To describe an atypical behavioral presentation of Alzheimer disease and to review the literature on the subject.
  
  
  METHODS
  Case study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Outpatient specialty clinic.
  
  
  METHODS
  A 70-year-old man with progressive behavioral symptoms of hyperorality, hypersexuality, hypermetamorphosis, visual agnosia, hyperphagia, and apathy who died at age 77 of asphyxiation on a foreign object.
  
  
  METHODS
  Clinical symptomatology, brain imaging, and neuropathology.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The pathologic diagnosis was Alzheimer disease with abundant tangles and plaques in the lateral amygdala.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This case represents a variant of Alzheimer disease with prominent amygdala abnormalities and a Klüver-Bucy phenotype that was misdiagnosed as frontotemporal dementia. Clinical and imaging findings that may aid in accurate diagnosis are reviewed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, University of California at Davis, 4860 Y St, Ste 3700, Sacramento, CA 95817, USA.
authors.forename: Shawn J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Kile
authors.forename: William G
authors.initials: WG
authors.lastname: Ellis
authors.forename: John M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Olichney
authors.forename: Sarah
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Farias
authors.forename: Charles
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: DeCarli
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000150:complications* / Q000473:pathology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D000679:Amygdala / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D001344:Autopsy; D003704:Dementia / Q000175:diagnosis; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D003951:Diagnostic Errors / Q000517:prevention & control; D018450:Disease Progression; D017809:Fatal Outcome; D006801:Humans; D020232:Kluver-Bucy Syndrome / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D016874:Neurofibrillary Tangles / Q000473:pathology; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D058225:Plaque, Amyloid / Q000473:pathology; D049268:Positron-Emission Tomography; D012189:Retrospective Studies